The big news this weekend has been the continued fallout from the longest Government shutdown in history. Unpaid federal employees are calling out in record numbers, causing the FAA to reduce daily flights at numerous airports to help keep our airspace safe.
And there is the potential they the FAA will eventually have to restrict airspace in the United States to help avoid tragic airplane crashes or unsafe incidents. These reduced flights may severely impact the upcoming holiday travel season.
As long as the Government shutdown continues, the burden on the American public will be increased. The standoff in Washington is a result of having the wrong leaders there to lead America:
- Greedy
- Prideful
- Deceptive
- Uncompassionate
Despite comparing himself to a modern-day Moses, Mike Johnson continues to follow the ways of this world and pursue his selfish wants. Late this week, the speaker once again extended the House of Representatives’ recess until November 16th.
Speaker Johnson, like many of us, has forgotten God’s path to true greatness is humility, not earthly power or control that puffs up (Proverbs 22:4, Matthew 23: 11-12).
In a shocking and surprising twist, even radical MAGA Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene criticized the GOP’s inability to open the government and to come up with an alternative to the ACA.
Greene continued to oppose her own party by disagreeing with the president over the cost of groceries. This change in attitude from Marjorie Taylor Greene gives me hope because God’s people have always forgotten that self-exaltation leads to pride, which blinds us to the truth. That is why it is best to let God exalt us, instead of chasing greatness (Proverbs 29:23, Luke 14:11).
What Is Exalt
Exalt is a word we don’t use much today, because it is more of a formal and spiritual term used for acts or works of God, not man. Exalt is defined as, “To rise in rank, character, or power: glorify.”
While we apply the idea of raising or lifting up or promotion to many things, exalt is something we do not do for ourselves, but to others.
When we exalt others, we humble ourselves; exalting shifts the balance of power and strength to others instead of ourselves. Our Christian forefathers understood, we must decrease to exalt God (John 3:29-31).
That is why the Bible has a lot to say about exalting, who does it, and how God uses it (Psalm 99:9, James 4:6). Self-exaltation is self-centered, but exaltation is an honor from God and others; it isn’t our selfish pursuit of greatness (Zephaniah 3:17, 1 Peter 5:6).
If we are great in our own eyes, we don’t need to be exalted by God, but if we are great in our eyes, He will humble us (Micah 6:8, Matthew 23:12).
God’s people cannot be humble if they are chasing greatness like this fallen world (Romans 12:3, Philippians 2:3-4, Colossians 3:12, 1 Peter 5:5-6). The apostles remembered their Jewish education about exaltation and who is the one who does it.
Rûm
The Torah tells us that ever since the fall of mankind has followed the first Adam’s pursuit for greatness in the garden (Genesis 3:4-6; 11:4). The first Adam listened to Satan’s promise of earthly greatness and disobeyed God. So God humbled Adam and cursed this fallen world (Genesis 3:17-19).
The ancient world followed earthly leaders to make them great in this fallen kingdom. God called Israel out of the corrupt world to be His people, so that He could exalt them above every nation (Genesis 12:2, Exodus 19:5-6, Deuteronomy 28:1-14).
The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for exalt is rûm, and it can also mean “High, lift up, offer, give, or higher,” depending on the context it is used in. God exalted humble nobodies to do great things for Israel, so that He could get the glory, not them (Exodus 3:1-10, Judges 6:11-16, 1 Samuel 16:11-13, 1 Kings 19:19-21):
- Abraham
- Moses
- Isaac
- Jacob
- Esther
- Ruth
- Daniel
- David
Jesus reminded His followers that God’s path to true greatness isn’t like this power-pursuing world. When He began His earthly ministry, He didn’t call the greatest and best scholars to be His Disciples; He chose 12 ordinary men who were humble and willing to obey Him.
Our Lord emphasized humility and service over pride and authority (Mark 10:43-45, Luke 22:26, John 13:14-15). He taught that true greatness in God’s kingdom is service and humility (Matthew 18:3-4, 20:26-28).
Our Rabbi warned that whoever exalts themselves would be humbled by God Himself (Matthew 23:11-12). Our best life isn’t being served, but serving others.
Mar-a-lgo
In other big news this weekend, Pres. Trump hosted a CPAC Gala at his exclusive club, Mar-a-lago, despite senators being in Washington to try to end the Government shutdown.
The conservatives attended and ate extravagant meals in a lavish, comfortable dining room, while 42 million Americans are struggling to meet basic needs to feed themselves and their families.
While the president dined with other wealthy individuals, federal workers were forced to work without pay to keep our government and airports running for six weeks in a row.
The American people are being oppressed while their leaders are exalting themselves and putting their selfish wants ahead of others:
- Greedy
- Prideful
- Uncompassionate
- Unforgiving
While our nation continues to struggle through the hardships of the shutdown, the President has agreed to give Argentina a $40 billion bailout. During the president’s gala, the Argentine president himself was seen dancing and celebrating as his own people are enduring economic hardship in his native country.
This is why it is important to seek God’s will when selecting our leaders, not our selfish wants or even our political agenda. In his book, Leadership Lessons of Jesus, Bob Briner writes, “Choices are made not on appearance and appeal, but on deeply, prayerfully considered values. One of the selection criteria, for example, should be considering who will most appreciate being chosen.” Like our Jewish forefathers, we have failed to learn the tragedy of triumph, when we trust in ourselves to be rûm (Proverbs 29:23)!
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