Thursday, November 24, 2011

christmas humble pie.

Matthew 26: 50 Jesus replied, “Do what you came for, friend.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus and arrested him. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.  Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels?

wowzers.  twelve legions of angels!  makes me think lord of the rings, when the elves show up at helm's deep to help theoden.  well trained skillful fighters (all with pointy ears) instantly, all at our Jesus' disposal.  you'd be scared.  i'd go home and change my underwear. 

moving to peru has been a very humbling experience.  how were things socially at home?  i have a group of friends that i enjoy, that i love.  they have known me for over a decade and i know them, trust them and confide in them as well.  financially?  i had a good job that was steady, stressless, well paid that allowed me to have time + energy for extra activities.  freedom?  i had a car that i loved and an environment where i can play all day under the sun!   palos verdes (the city i live in), is so gorgeous.  i'd go on vacation in my own hometown.  haha.  status?  i never really cared about that, probably because i was never really disrespected much.   

then i chose to move to peru.  socially?  i knew no one.  people are a lot more complex here.  probably due to the cultural difference and probably we were too sheltered back at home.  :P  financially?  let's just say i've had my days where i covet my previous job at northrop.  freedom?  it becomes a little challenging and limiting when your hindered by communication skills.  communication?  haha.  como se dice finger?  como se dice "can i get a fork"? como se dice ... everything.  status?  well... you realize that you kind of have to earn it (outside of the church setting).  and when you can't communicate, earning it kind of goes out the door also.  haha. 

it's a very humbling experience when you can't even ask for a fork.  you kind of sit there, just a little too long.  haha. 

i cannot even begin to fathom how it was for Jesus.  "who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness."
i honestly think this is something very hard for people who have never lived outside their own culture/language to truly experience.  i'm not saying i'm better than anyone, but, when i was in los angeles, i scratched only the surface of Jesus humbling himself to be with us.  yeah, He left His throne and came to earth. however, after experiencing it for a long period of time, it has become more of a heart knowledge.

more importantly, He chose to be humbled in a way that we can never fully experience.  i will never know the power of controlling legions of angels, nor will i ever experience the intense agony of the cross as Jesus did.  but more importantly, it's the ginormous difference between the two.  the sharp contrast of being King of Kings, to... "nothing in his appearance shall we desire him" and the suffering He chose to bear. 

humility.  meekness.  sacrifice.  fortitude.  obedience.  submission.  love.   

Luke 2: 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. 


this christmas, as i head home to be in the comfort of family, friends and familiarity, i get to worship Him with a slightly new heart.  i now know very well, that He is able to completely sympathize with the struggles and challenges of this past year.  more importantly, imma worship Him cause of how amazing He is.  He actively chose struggles, pain, discomfort, inability... all the emotions and physical disabilities i've experienced this past year, AND MORE AND at a way more extreme level.  all this so He can die on the cross ... for me & for you.  

gracias senor. 

2 comments:

  1. Great to hear this update! I like the king size bed photo, haha. Have a safe trip back home!

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  2. this blog was really cool to read...you are totally right about not knowing what it really means to be humbled when we live so comfortably in our every day lives. thanks kenny! hope you are doing well back in Peru :) --prii t

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