Swallowing Camels

I am, admittedly, skilled in missing the point. As a student, I could spend thirty minutes writing a paper and then burn two hours creating a cover page. I can make fifteen attempts at tying my tie so the length is just right and never notice that my pants are ripped. And honestly, you don't want to watch a movie with me - just ask my family. If one insignificant detail of the story is out of place, I can successfully obsess over it to the point that all hope of entertainment and enjoyment is lost. I guess I'm one of those "can't see the forest" kind of people.

Sometimes, in my more lucid moments, I think about what Jesus said to the Pharisees: You guys will strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

It seems so easy to lose sight of significant matters. It's not that all the things receiving our attention are unimportant; they're just not the most important. As disciples of Jesus we sometimes pour great energy into straining out the gnats, but completely ignore the camel in the room. In both my own life and the church, I have come to believe that one of those camels is the lack of genuine humility seen in Jesus' followers.

Having grown up in the church, I have heard a lot about "worldliness" and the call to be a holy people. But I have to be honest: I've heard little more than obligatory references to the spirit of humility. If anything, we have the tendency to excuse arrogance and pride as a matter of "personality" or simply being strong in our convictions. But even while we explain it away, we deal with the divisive fall-out:

• The unwillingness to apologize for hurtful words and behaviors, creating walls of separation in personal relationships and in the Body of Christ.
• The retreat into isolationism and a judgmental spirit, assuming that we are always right and somehow more deserving than others.
• The belief that my position, success, tenure, or money makes me more valuable to the Church and my opinion more important.
• The unwillingness to admit that my critics sometimes have a point.
• The stubborn refusal to be in dialogue with and show love to those who disagree with me.

Perhaps we are afraid that humility will be mistaken for a weakness in our beliefs or character. But if we think about it, Jesus would never be accused of such weakness, and yet he "emptied himself," sat at the table with sinners, and took the place of the lowest servant. If we are indeed called to be like Jesus, humility must necessarily be a core value of our lives.

As I look at my own life, the church I love, and the world around me, it's clear that many are looking for more than religious marketing, arguments, and arrogance; they need genuine connection with a community shaped by humility, acceptance, and authenticity. If that is true, then what is needed in the Church is not so much a reformation of doctrine or programs, but the rediscovery of a Christlike character and attitude.