God's Ways are NOT our ways. Not naturally. God's thoughts are NOT our thoughts. Not naturally. And you know what? This isn't me making something up. This isn't just me running off at the mouth. This isn't me talking out of another orifice--besides my mouth--either... This is doctrinal. This is scriptural. This is a: FACT! An absolute fact. This is: Truth. Absolute Truth. Over in the books of Isaiah (55:8-9) it says:
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
God has just basically said: “You don't share my thinking. You don't have my viewpoint: DIVINE VIEWPOINT. And the things you do? They aren't MY ways. My thoughts are infinitely SUPERIOR to yours. My thoughts are way PURER than yours—it's not even close. You're not even a distant second. You don't even make the top 10... My thoughts are righteous. Your thoughts are: wicked. My thoughts are virtue love. Your thoughts are: lust from your OLD SIN NATURE. I operate in grace towards you... You operate in legalism—and defiance!--towards me. I am above you... you are beneath me.
I am a HOLY GOD... you are depraved and sinful humanity. You couldn't free yourself from a soaking wet paper bag... I HAVE FREED YOU from the slave market of sin! You think you know... you think you understand... you think you have a clue... BUT! You are clueless! Completely clueless! You know nothing! Absolutely nothing! Not until you have the humility to renovate your thinking with my thoughts: BIBLE DOCTRINE!”
So, right off the bat we need to understand something: there are two ways of thinking in this world: God's Thoughts [Divine Viewpoint] and our thoughts [human viewpoint]. This means: God has a certain way of 'looking' [anthropomorphism. God doesn't have eyes! But it's a way for our little finite minds to try and grasp the infinite!] at things.... And it isn't always the way we seem them. Not unless we have Bible Doctrine in our stream of conciseness and/or Divine Establishment principles....
If we don't share His thoughts... we can only see things our way. We can only have human viewpoint. We can only look at things subjectively—not objectively. We can only look at things with relativism and not the absolute standards found in God's
Word. We can only let our emotions start running wild... we can only have knee jerk reactions...
Without the filling of the Holy Spirit via 1 John 1:9
Without Bible Doctrine in our soul...
All we can have is: human viewpoint. Unless: it's Divine Establishment. Volition. Marriage. Family Nationalism. Unbelievers can think with Divine Establishment too. But they miss the best part: being motivated by virtue love. An unbeliever can't have that. Divine Establishment can only make him/her moral.
A 'good' person—in the eyes of man. But the eyes of man change... what is 'good' today may not be tomorrow. In fact, it may be considered: evil. What is moral today... may be considered “intolerant” tomorrow. So, be careful when you put your trust in what man thinks... in what man accepts... what man approves of...
Man is ALWAYS changing.
Man is unstable.
Loves you today.
Hates you tomorrow.
Hugs you to today.
Chokes you tomorrow.
Thanks you for coming into their life today.
Wants to kill you the next...
Man in mercurial... Up. Down. Up. Down. ALL OVER THE PLACE!! Constantly.
Extremely volatile.
Man is bi-polar... One extreme to the other. Hot. Cold. Hot. Cold. Never stabilized. Never consistent. Not for long...
God is steady. Stable. Secure. A straight line... all the time. 24/7. You always know what you're going to get. You always know how He is going to act. You may not know the exact details, but what you do know is: He loves you. Even in discipline. And everything that we experience... the good... the bad... the ugly... the sweet... the sour... the prosperity... the adversity... the smiles... the frowns... the tears of joy... the tears of sorrow... The pain in our bodies... the pleasure in our souls...
ALL. OF. IT! All of it is designed for our betterment. For our benefit. To bring about His purpose in our lives. To bring about HIS PLAN in our lives.
And there are times that are hard...
Really hard.
There are times that hurt.
Really hurt!
There are times that are almost unbearable...
Pain! Suffering! Agony!
There are times when you feel like you're going to collapse....
And there are times when you wish that you would... you wish that you could...
There are times when dying—right there on the spot—would feel like a relief. Like a blessing...
But. Death doesn't come. Not yet.
And so we endure...
Hopefully with the grace resources that God has provided us. Hopefully...
If not... we endure the hard way: banging our head against a brick wall... kicking and screaming... fighting the entire way...
That depends on what we have in our soul: Divine Viewpoint? Or: human viewpoint?
It depends on how we embrace the situations: Respond in humility? Or: React in arrogance?
There are: God's thoughts. And there are: man's thoughts. Our thoughts...
There is: God's way. And there is: man's way. Our way...
One of these ways is right. One of them is: wrong. Dead wrong. I'm not saying your thoughts are wrong... I'm not saying what you do is wrong... what you think and what you do is none of my business. Honestly? I care, but I don't. I care enough to share. But. I don't care to meddle in your private life. So, I'm not saying... it's not for me to say.
But. I am saying: human viewpoint is wrong. And anytime we step into it... we're going to step in “it”. A whole lot of “it”... up to our noses in “it”.
The answer to EVERY SINGLE PROBLEM YOU FACE IS: learn Divine Viewpoint. Learn: Bible Doctrine! Apply Divine Viewpoint in your life. Apply: Bible Doctrine.
It's that simple...
But. We make it so hard. So difficult. So much more that what it truly is. Our thoughts... Our ways... our solutions... temporary—at best. At worst? Compound and intensify our problems.
But not this Gentile woman... she took the complex and made it: simple.
But He answered and said, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and began to bow down before Him, saying, “Lord, help me!”
Like a quarterback getting ready to make the winning pass...
Like the golfer getting ready to sink the winning putt...
Like the sniper getting ready to fire the shot that could end the war...
She let everything else disappear... every one else too.... she let all the noise and commotion drown out.... She let it all fade away... And she saw the only thing that mattered: She saw Christ.
She saw the ONLY solution to her problems.
She saw the Lord...
She KNEW the answer. Completely. Absolutely.
AND she bowed down before Him in humility.
Because she understood: she was helpless.
And when He [The Lord] FINALLY acknowledged her—to her face....
When He FINALLY spoke to her—directly...
When He FINALLY gave her the audience that she had been seeking...
What did He do? What did He say? Did 'sweet' Jesus heal her child—instantly? Did 'nice' Jesus take her pain—instantly—away? Did 'compassionate' Jesus give her what she wanted—right then and there? Did 'Loving' Jesus make all the wrongs become: right?
No. That's NOT what He did—at all! Not even close. Not even remotely close...
This is what our Lord did: Verse 26: And He answered and said,“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Now, I don't know about you, but I LOVE my dogs. I love them! They are dear to me. They are source of great joy and pleasure to me. I LOVE THEM! A lot. In fact: I won't lie about it: I get more happiness—from my dogs—than I do many people in my life. They're A LOT more fun to be around. They're tails are always wagging. They're always so excited to see me. They're just happy and loving. I think God gave us Dogs to help remind us what: true impersonal love is like. Because I can be in the worst mood... My back can be killing me... I can be having a horrible day at work... I can be frustrated—beyond belief—at people. BUT. Here comes my dogs... and they're just happy as they can be. Loving all over me. Jumping up in my lap. Licking my face.
And it makes me smile. It also makes wash my face and hand sanitize, but that's a different story... Sometimes you just need a good lickin'... From a belt [discipline] and from a dog...
It makes everything better.
At least for a little while...
But. The point is: I think fondly of my dogs. Very fondly. As I said: I think God has given them to us as a reminder of: impersonal love. Unconditional love....
However, that is NOT what the Jews thought of them as. That is NOT how they were viewed in ancient times. Dogs were nothing more than a garbage can. An ancient garbage disposal unit. They only real purpose they had was to pick off the scraps... to handle the leftovers....
A dog was beneath the owners. Way beneath them. Not a household pet. Not something that was loved...
Dogs were nothing more than a necessary evil... An unwanted—but needed--inconvenience. Something that had to be put up with... Kinda like watching a buzzard picking off a rotting carcass in the road—right in front of your home... You hate having to see it... It's gross... It's disgusting. It revolts you. But. It has to be done. Otherwise the roadkill will start stinking up the place...
Dogs...
Dogs were like buzzards...
Vultures...
A trash disposal...
A walking—and barking!--annoying garbage can.
A toilet... it's where you flushed all the waste.
Needless to say: dogs just weren't' very popular. And they certainly weren't “man's best friend” back then. Not even close.
The word dog was also an insult. A slur. A racial slur. A religious slur. A racial religious slur...
I'm sure you can think of a few racial slurs... I don't have to say any for you. You know them! Well, think of the worst one you can... that was what being called a "Dog!" was like that--the worst racial slur. Bad. Very bad. Offensive. Derogatory.
And He answered and said,“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
A few parts back in this series, I spoke about the Apostle Paul and his cutting sarcasm with the Corinthians. Paul was excellent with it. Paul had such a way with words... such a fantastic way with words... I mean he could really drive a point home... he could nail it! The Apostle Paul would knock'em out of the park... almost every time at bat... SWING BATTER BATTER!!!!!! There it went.... Home run! Grand slam! That ball is out of here!!!!
And Paul could be sarcastic--extremely so. When it was needed.
Paul was loving.
Paul was firm.
In this age of 'enlightenment' that we live in.... men can't be both. Men either have to be 'loving' and act like some silly teenage girl... or they're a chauvinist. A misogynist. Some type of tyrant. Society says that a man can't be tough and loving...
Paul was.
And Paul knew just how—and when!--to use a little sarcasm. He was great at it.
And you know what? Our Lord wasn't above using a little sarcasm either. Our Lord wasn't above messing with people. In fact, I would even go so far as to say: The Lord 'instigated' a couple confrontations with the Pharisees. Especially when it came to the Sabbath. Keeping the Sabbath. Doing certain things on the Sabbath... Eating food on the Sabbath... Healing on Sabbath...
Now, when I say “instigated”... I don't mean in a malicious way. I don't mean in a hateful way. I don't mean in a spiteful way. What I mean is: The Lord knew that what He was about to do would tick certain people off... He KNEW that it would get the Pharisees in an uproar.... He KNEW that the religious leaders would get their panties in a wad...
He KNEW that they would see: RED! Blood Red! And like an angry bull....come out charging!
He knew that if He messed with the bull... He would get the horns!
And you know what? He didn't care. Not one bit. Didn't bother Him in the least!
Am I saying that 'sweet' Jesus purposefully pissed people off?
No. That's not what I am saying. However, I am saying: 'Sweet' Jesus ALWAYS spoke the truth! 'sweet' Jesus ALWAYS did the right thing.... 'Sweet' and 'kind' and 'thoughtful' Jesus NEVER let circumstances, situations, environment dictate to Him...
He didn't let people dictate to Him either...
He DICTATED TO THEM!
Period.
He did what was right. And He didn't concern Himself with what people thought. How people felt about it. About what people might think...
About what people might say...
How they may not like Him...
How they may not invite Him to all the great parties...
All the special events...
All the VIP events at the synagogues and the temple...
He didn't care about any of that.
He cared about: THE TRUTH!
He cared about: Doing what was right.
He cared about: executing God The Father's plan. Period. End of story. The End!
That's it.
No. He didn't try and piss people off... He didn't try and make them angry... He didn't go around trying to hurt their feelings... He wasn't the least bit boorish...
BUT. He said what had to be said. He did what Had to be done. AND then He let the chips fall where they may...
If people got their feelings hurt... that's a matter of their volition.
If people got angry... that's a matter of their volition.
If people didn't like His message... that was a matter of their volition.
If people wanted to discredit Him... that was a matter of their volition.
If people wanted to destroy Him... that was a matter of their volition.
BUT. His life was in God's hands... His well being was in God's Hands... AND He humbled Himself—even to the point of the cross—and stuck to His mission.
The Lord loved people. He loves us all. And He loved us enough to stand for something. To stand on truth. To speak truth. To demonstrate truth.
And He would do this ANY WHICH WAY that He could. Nothing was off limits. Anything that could be incorporated into a lesson... it was utilized. It had a reason... It had a purpose...
And God's plan is perfect.
God's is perfect.
His ways are perfect.
His thoughts are perfect.
I wasn't there. Way before my time... But if I had a time machine... if I had a T.A.R.D.I.S.... If I had Delorean with a flux capacitor... I would love to travel back and see this... to see this event... to watch it unfold...
The Lord taking the Disciples away for a little personal teaching. Some quality time with the Lord.
The Disciples all excited about this. Thinking they're about to have a little one-on-one time with The Lord. They're about to have Him all to themselves...
THEN! From out of nowhere... this woman shows up! Not just any woman... A Gentile Woman.... and she's screaming and begging and crying and pleading...
And these insecure, arrogant, religious, and so very racist disciples want the Lord to send her off! Get rid of her! Send her packing...
And the Lord—in grace and patience—reminds them that He is faithful to His Word—always! And I bet they got such a smug look on their faces... I bet their chests started poking out... I bet they thought they were something special.... something better... something deserving... something above everyone else...
But the Lord is teaching them and they don't even know it! And the Lord is setting them up... and they don't have a clue! They are so clueless! They've got a LONG way to go...
But. The Lord is helping them.
And this Gentile woman overhears what the Lord says about being sent to the House of Israel...
But instead of getting her feelings hurt...
Instead of getting angry...
Instead of becoming bitter...
Instead of becoming spiteful...
Instead of becoming a non-believer who doesn't believe anymore... doesn't believe because God didn't give them their way...
Instead of being a baby and saying, "God doesn't love me! He doesn't give me what I want when I want it!" Booo hooo for me! Woe is me! Poor poor me!
Instead of trying to persuade the disciples...
To make them see reason... To make them understand... To identify with her situation...
Instead of trying to appeal to their emotions... to their humanity.... Instead of groveling to man...
What does she do?
This Gentile Woman keeps on coming!
Straight to The Lord! Not people! The Lord!
She keeps her eyes on the Lord.
And she bows before Him—in absolute humility. And she pleads with Him—in absolute humility...
And these disciples are watching this...
And they are seeing this...
With their own eyes!
They are seeing a GENTILE woman recognize the Lord for Who and What He is: The God-Man Savior. The Unique person of the universe! The only one qualified to be our savior. The uniquely born—without the imputation of a sin nature from a virgin birth [no biological human father]--SON OF GOD!
The lamb of God.
The only one who can take away our pain FOREVER!
The only one who can wipe away our tears FOREVER!
The only one who can take away our sins FOREVER!
This Gentile Woman...
THIS DOG...
This filthy, nasty, disgusting Dog!
She recognizes who the Lord is. And their very own people don't! Their superior Jewish people don't recognize Him! Their religious leaders don't recognize Him. They don't accept Him! They reject Him! Completely!
But this Gentile woman... she gets it.
What a slap in the face to them!
But she keeps coming in humility...
She keeps asking for grace to be extended towards her...
Toward her daughter...
And now the Lord has FINALLY spoken to her—directly. And what does He tell her?
And He answered and said,“It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.”
Basically He tells her: “look lady, I understand that you're distraught. I do. I get it. But you're a Gentile. Taking away from the Jews and showing grace to a Gentile... that's like wasting my powers. It's beneath me to do this. You're a Gentile. You're a dog! Why would I bother not feeding my children and feed you? Some stray mongrel?”
If I were a betting man (and I am!)... I would go “ALL IN!!!” that the Lord had a certain tone in His voice... A certain inflection... A certain softness... A certain kindness... A certain compassion...
I would bet there was a slight smile on His face...
A twinkle in His eye...
Maybe even a quick wink at her...
But you know what else I would bet? Two things:
The Disciples were about to wet their britches with glee! I bet they were absolutely giddy! Hearing our Lord say these words to this dog... This Gentile woman... I bet they liked our Lord putting this loud-mouthed Gentile woman in her place... Reminding her of her place! Beneath them!
I bet they misunderstood. Completely. They completely misunderstood what our Lord was doing. They didn't have a clue...
And...
This Gentile woman was smart! Witty! Quick witted. Sharp as a tack. Now, I'm not saying that she knew EXACTLY what the Lord was doing.... I'm not saying that she knew EXACTLY why the Lord was doing it...
Why He was making her wait...
BUT. I think she got it. She knew SOMETHING was going on here. Something grand. Something exciting. Something VERY IMPORTANT! Something that was a HIGHER PRIORITY than even her suffering. And the suffering of her daughter...
The Disciples? They were clueless. They didn't have a clue! Dumb as dirt! Blind as a bat! Couldn't see the forest because of the trees!
So smug...
So arrogant...
So condescending...
Such an elitist attitude...
Such an entitlement attitude...
I have A LOT more to say... A lot more...
But. I want to close with this: The last few years... we have watched—in our nation—as freedoms have been taken away. One by one. As the laws our land are twisted... distorted... bent... and even broken....
We have watched our nation depart from the course that was set for us over 200 years ago...
We have watched our borders not be defended...
We have watched our soldiers not be cared for... Not be taken care of... Treated like criminals...
We've watched illegal aliens—they aren't damn immigrants!--flood our shores. We've seen them be treated better than our own citizens... Get free housing... Get free food... Free Health care... Free education... And even a free pass to vote in our future....
We have watched as our individual freedoms get trampled on...
We have watched as marriage has been attacked...
We have watched as the family has been attacked...
We have watched as our Nation gives away its sovereignty to the UN and the World...
We have watched as powers—internal and external—try and strip away people's right to bear arms in this nation...
We have watched as Biblical Christianity has come more and more under attack...
We have watched as our leaders spend money that we don't have...
We have watched as factories close down...
We have watched as jobs get shipped over seas...
We have watched as our credit rating drops...
We have watched as innovation is choked by regulation and labor unions...
We have watched it become increasingly more difficult to compete with foreign markets...
We have watched as corporations—who are controlled by evil and greedy men—try and destroy free enterprise and competition by buying politicians.... I'm not saying that corporations are evil. I'm not saying that capitalism is evil. But what I am saying is: when greedy, corruption and evil men have their way... even the best of systems become: greedy, corrupt, and evil...
We have watched as once thriving cities look like third world countries...
We have watched as depravity becomes not only 'acceptable', but: normal.
We have watched violence become a normal way of life.
We have watched as many of the wicked prosper...
We have watched as they smile... and sneer... and laugh all the way to the bank...
We have watched as they sell us out... destroying our future.... and all the while: they puff out their chests and tell you: “I know what's best for you. I am helping you. You're just too dumb and stupid to realize it. You should be thanking God for me...”
Many of us have watched as things we've spent countless hours building... pouring our blood, sweat, and tears into... be destroyed. To see our hard work taken away. To see others pillage and steal what we've worked so hard to have...
We've watched people attack our families...
We've watched people attack our marriages...
We've watched people attack our business...
We've watched people attack our beliefs...
And many of us have seen people laugh right in our faces while they do it...
Stick their chests out...
Brag about it...
Boast about it...
Tell the world—openly--about their evil plans...
To remind us: “You are helpless! You are hopeless. You don't have a chance!”
"There is NOTHING that you can do to stop me!"
And you know what I say: “THANK YOU!”
Thank you for reminding me EXACTLY who we are. What we are.
We are helpless.
We are hopeless.
We don't have a chance.
There is nothing that we can do.
None. Zip. Zero.
We don't have to...
Why? Because it's not about us! It's about: Him. His grace...
This battle belongs to Him. It's His. Not ours.
But that smile on your face... it's going to be replaced—very soon!--with a stupid look. A very stupid look. A very confused look. A very sad look...
Because: Just like the disciples—in these verses—they don't have a clue. The Lord is setting them up also. They think they're towering above it all... But they aren't.
God is not mocked. Not even for a second.
The Lord is putting them in the perfect position....
The perfect place...
The perfect spot...
The perfect opportunity.
The Lord is preparing them to learn a lesson. They're just too stupid and arrogant to realize it. They don't get it. Not yet. But they will soon. They will get it soon.
And you know what? People will either get it... or they will get it! It will get them! One way or the other. Guaranteed.
And if not on this earth... in eternity. And that is how--and where--we live our life. Our hope is: eternal.
But. We must never lose sight: God loves them too. And He's working in their lives also.
But that's between them and the Lord! Completely!
Even when it involves us! Ultimately, their sin is against the Lord. And the Lord only. It's easy to make it all about us... to make ourselves the issue... to be the victim...
BUT. There aren't any victims in the spiritual life. Because: even this harm... it's for our betterment. It has a purpose. It has a plan. God's plan. And we know: He causes ALL THINGS to work together for the good. ALL THINGS. Not some. Not a few. Not every now and then... ALL THINGS. Even this. Even what other people are doing.
Even what our 'leaders' are doing...
And that's when we have to be just like this Gentile Woman... we have to take our eyes off them... off people... off places... off things... off circumstances... off wrongs and injustices...
And we must concentrate...
We must focus entirely...
We must be occupied with The Lord.
Even when it seems like He's giving us an answer that we don't want to hear.
We must be just like this Gentile Woman: not making an issue of self.
To keep coming...
To make an issue of Christ.
Knowing He is the answer.
Knowing: He will handle everything else.
And everyone else.
Perfectly.
In. His. Timing.
Confident: even when it's NOT the answer that we want... when we replace our human viewpoint with His Divine Viewpoint... it's the right answer! Always.
