What We Deserve

“Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant. [Ezra 9.13]

Humility. So very few even have the basic concept of humility, let alone have it. And, as we see in the passage above, Ezra had to point out the need for it;

Before I read my daily reading from the OYCB today and while I was still praying for some dear people in my life, the saying, "I deserve happiness," came to mind. At this point, I knew I would read something that would lead to me writing about the flawed idea behind this common saying. Ezra 9.13 was just that verse...

Modern culture had misled its citizens into the greatest sin known to exist: pride. Pride says, "I deserve what I want." 

Pride never leads to the conclusion that I deserve what I get, or deserved what I got. Only humility could or would make that claim.

Because man is "fallen" in the eyes of God, he only deserves death. Death is what man really deserves - nothing less. This a foundational Bible-truth. It it not incredible that modern society would reject it. However, it is imperative that anyone who would please God embrace and act upon this truth. Man's only hope to please God is found in humility, not pride.

It is pure humility to believe in God and not oneself. The Bible calls this faith. Accordingly, the Bible confirms faith as pleasing to God. The world and our flesh encourage us to pursue that happiness in getting what we want (following our own desires), while God says faith, humbly believing Him in spite of human reasoning, is what leads to joy.

I am thinking of this topic today particularly as it relates to marriage. Within the subject of marriage, the saying, "I deserve happiness," is often quoted completely contrary to what the Bible teaches. No, we don't deserve happiness - none of us. What we deserve is death. What most fail to see about marriage is that it provides its participants the opportunity to see the humility of "putting another person first" as the seedbed not for temporal happiness, but for the joy of  God that supersedes understanding.

I've been married since 1980. My every pursuit of personal happiness during this time has done nothing but push me toward divorce. On the other hand, my pitiful attempts at putting my wife first, if for nothing else but to keep her from being "divorced," gives me unspeakable joy. Why? Because I don't deserve her and I know that laying aside my own happiness to put her first has allowed me to see past mere happiness and experience the realm of joy. I have the joy of 43 years with this amazing woman. I have joy in children most only wish for. I have joy in grandchildren for whom the word "precious" was coined. And, I have joy that our family is intact as God intends - representing His faithful commitment to us in not deserting us just because we don't make Him happy!

Happiness is most often the result of selfish pride (getting what I think I deserve). Joy is always the result of selfless humility (not getting what I know I deserve).

Father, may these words remain in my mind today, and may all who read them benefit!