GOD OF BALANCE AND “IMBALANCE”
First things first. More than worshipping God for the blessings, which He pours into our lives, we need to learn to worship Him, JUST FOR WHAT HE IS! Worshipping Him, awed by His unique attributes is noblest form of worship, for it emanates from the depths of the heart with no strings attached. Worship in its pristine form is nothing but an unalloyed form of an ethereal romance between the Creator and His favorite creation (Isaiah 62:5, Zephaniah 3:17). In this context, let it be said that the driving force for winning a soul to the Lord ought not to be only the need of saving it from scorching hell-fire but also to acquaint it, with the indescribable heavenly joys’ one is enjoying. NONE OUGHT TO MISS OUT ON THAT! In this message I intend to bring to the fore, amongst others two of Creator’s sublime qualities. He is a God of BALANCE and can you believe it, at times ONE OF IMBALANCE!!!
GOD OF BALANCE
Firstly the former. Do not we see in the realm of physical creation, the principle of balance all around? If not for night following the day, would there be scope for rest and recuperation, before yet another round of strenuous activity? If there had been one continuous summer season, without the intermittent rainy and winter seasons, would not we all be baked dry? If it had been all rain, the depressing scenario of Noah’s flood looms before our eyes. If it is chilly winter all the way, would not we all be frozen stiff? Add to this reverse breathing pattern of the plant and the animal World, a Hallelujah springs from the depths of the heart for the amazing balance, He has placed in the physical World.
In the spiritual realm too, from earliest times (Genesis 14:17-20), even before the Mosaic Law came into effect, the good Lord had established the principle of “Financial balance” between Clergy and Laity. The laity could pursue any business or vocation for their livelihood, whereas the Clergy would not, rather they were required to spend all the time in the presence of the Lord, learn from Him and instruct the people thereof in the ways of the Lord (Isaiah 30:20-21). Since the latter should not, would not, cannot take-up any secular means of livelihood, the laity were required to financially support the clergy, in order the latter needs’ are also met. In the Nation of Israel, we would see the eleven tribes supporting the Priestly Levite tribe with tithes (Leviticus 27:30/Neh 10:37-39). Jesus was all for the continuance of the tithing principle (Matt 23:23), “balanced” with other paramount matters such as justice, mercy and faithfulness. By the way, I too pay my tithes to my local Church, from the income I get from serving our faithful Lord. While on the subject, let me remind one and all, that while we are obligated to contribute liberally to all different Ministries serving Him wonderfully around the World, the tithes should uncompromisingly be always paid to our local Church, where we are being spiritually nurtured. It is imperative to get one’s “balance” right on this crucial subject …
Coming to the Savior, one remarkable feature, which characterized His ministry on Earth, was that of balance. He hated sin but loved sinners. He was all for payment of taxes to Caesar, without in any way ignoring our financial obligations to the Giver of all gifts. He lauded his disciples, when they had to be appreciated and duly reprimanded them, when they were going off track. Let’s look at the three incidents in our Master’s life, when He walked the fine line…
CONDESCENDING BUT...
Remember the account of Jewish religious leaders bringing a woman caught in adultery before him (John 8:1-11) for judgment on her and most importantly His judgment on the Mosaic Law (Leviticus 20:10), which demanded her stoning. Of course Jesus’ envious enemies (surprisingly they were not robbers or murderers’ but fellow servants’ in God’s vineyard…the Teachers of the Law, Pharisees et al) outraged by His growing popularity amongst the masses, desperately wanted to tarnish his image publicly, as a “breaker of the Law”. How our good Lord handled that dicey situation is the very definition of being balanced in a crisis and later His demeanor with the guilty one reflected his attitude towards sin and a sinner.
With His critics’, waiting with bated breath for the slightest slip, which would send His public popularity ratings nose-diving, our Lord handled the tricky situation with an equilibrium, which was so typical of Him. Without in any way, diminishing the significance of the Mosaic Law, He appealed to the universal, higher Law of conscience in every individual ready to stone the hapless adulteress.
“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”
While on the subject, doesn’t this question ring a bell in the minds of every overtly critical Christian nursing a holier than attitude towards others? Then the Gospel writer John, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, takes the scene to a stirring climax…
At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there (John 8:9).
What does this verse actually mean…very simple…if at all, anybody had the right to cast a stone on this sinful woman, it was the spotless, Holy Son of God. What did He do? Let the Scripture (John 8:10-11) take over…
Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
“No one, sir,” she said.
“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”
Did Jesus declare, “Go now and continue your life of sin?” NO!!! Rather leave your life of sin. Jesus hated sin but loved sinners. Want any further proof? Amazing balance isn’t it?
COMMANDING BUT...
Now Jesus’ enemies wouldn’t give-up so easily in their efforts to publicly disgrace him. Later on in Jerusalem, they thought He would be lax in His verdict on paying tax to Caesar (Jews’ avowed enemy and their despised ruler at that time). They thought they had Him with a “googly” (Permit me to use some cricket lingo), when they publicly fired this question at Him –“Is it right to pay the imperial tax to Caesar or not?”-, only to be outwitted by a “doosra” from the good Lord “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's; and unto God the things that are God's” (Matt 22:21 KJV).
Christians are commanded to pay their taxes to the Government, without putting on the backburner the need to pay the tithes to their Local Church/support those who preach the Gospel to them. One without the other would displease the KING OF ALL KINGS, who has put every Government in its place (Malachi 3:6-12/Romans 13:1-7/I Cor 9:14), and commissioned His every servant to serve Him, without taking-up any secular livelihood. It was Apostle Paul’s magnanimity that he let go His God-given rights also (by taking-up tent making work, albeit temporarily -Acts 18:2-5 / I Thess 2: 9), in order none should get any chance of pointing an accusing finger at him. Out of my own Ministry experience of five years, I can testify that it is some kind of surreal, joyous “walking on water” feeling, to press on with vigour solely on the back of voluntary, free-will offerings, even while generating some income courtesy part-time “tent-making”.
COMMENDING BUT...
Scene one… Jesus is whole-heartedly appreciating the impulsive Simon Peter.
Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” (Matt 16:17-19)
Scene two…shortly afterwards…to the same Simon Peter are addressed these sharp reprimanding words…
“Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.” (Matt 16:23)
Hey, what really happened? Let’s hit the rewind button…Firstly, Jesus was all praise for Simon Peter when we came-up with an unequivocal, truthful declaration “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” in response to the Messiah’s poser to the disciples’ “Who do you say I am?“ But this same Simon Peter when Jesus revealed the impending Divine redemption plan for mankind involving the Master’s crucifixion and resurrection, started playing the Devil’s advocate dissuading the Master from going to the cross…and hence, the sharp rebuke.
Jesus’ “balanced” way of handling us has not changed one bit (Heb 13:8), isn’t it? Say Christian, doesn’t He fill your heart with heavenly joy, when you obey Him, and whenever you stray… well… invariably there is a “rap on the knuckles” (emotional or physical pain by way of discipline comes our way). Now more on God’s disciplining ways and blessings…
GOD OF IMBALANCE???
The phrase “God of Imbalance”- is it not revolting, seemingly at direct odds with the tone and tenor of this essay, so far? BUT GIVE HIM A LOUD HALLELUJAH, FOR HE BECOMES "IMBALANCED", ONLY AND ONLY WHEN OUR PERSONAL BENEFIT IS AT STAKE. Consider this verse…
He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10 NKJV)
At a time, when our sins require a severe punishment, He chastises us just enough to bring us back to the track, as any loving Father would (Heb 12:5-11). Then what about the “blessings being not in proportion to known sources of efforts for Him” (thanks IT Department)? Consider this Scripture portion culled from the familiar parable of talents…“And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’ (Luke 19:15-17).Now is there any co-relation (however remote) between minas and cities? For earning merely “10 minas”, we are who are faithful are being guaranteed a reward of oh boy, oh boy TEN CITIES! Even on this side of eternity, the Lord provides wondrously for us and in the other side of eternity, boy, the blessings and rewards He has in store for us are simply mind-boggling. No wonder the Prophet Isaiah declares and Apostle Paul reaffirms bringing to light the true meaning of the OT Prophet’s declaration “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man. The things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (Isaiah 64:4/I Cor 2:9)!
Dear Child of God, even as you take inventory of your life, so far, is not your experience similar to mine? Is it not both comforting and reassuring to know that we been punished far less for our sins of commission or omission and that our meager efforts (relatively speaking) for His Kingdom, have fetched us rewards far beyond our expectations? The Good News to top it all is THE BEST IS YET TO COME…
Time, we mouthed two loud Hallelujah’s to our both balanced as well as “imbalanced” Heavenly Father? I would say YES!
(Suresh Manoharan)
