To See Hearts; Read His Word
The nephew was boasting how he cowardly had gotten back at his maternal uncle’s wife just prior to approaching the security bag checking at the airport. His mind had been preoccupied from the first day he had arrived. He felt relief he ‘finally’ got it out of his chest after four days!
He shouted at his uncle from the distance “I don’t know how you have lived with her all these years!”
His uncle seventy years of age and his wife sixty four got up early to drive the nephew to the airport, now they waved at him not knowing what to do with his bitter comment. The fifty four years of age nephew felt good about the opportunity to verbally revenge for what she had said to him the first day he had arrived. She had spent a little over a week with his sister few weeks prior. The niece had let them talk. In contrast to his sister the brother liked to be listened to. Uncle’s wife found a fraction of time daring to mention his sister, saying “Katie is nicer than you!”
“From that moment” he said to his sister, “I didn’t want to leave without getting back at her.” His sister told him “Maybe because I let her get things out of her chest about her husband’s side during the first decade of her marriage? Though none of her complains were new to me.”
He admitted that he wasn’t going to do her that favor. Few times they had talked at the same time then he shushed her. That’s when she pointed at the contrast between him and his sister; he kept it as grudge.
Within that month sister and brother took turns to go and see their terminally ill maternal aunty. His sister went first when the aunty was released from hospital with couple weeks left to live, with a bag to drain the water from the liver tumor and IV at her arm, instructed not to eat till her last breath.
Their aunty was very optimistic, believed that her nephew would perform his first miracle just by being there physically, therefore hopeful if the tall and handsome nephew would come and visit her she was going to get walking around the neighborhood again. She expressed her confidence in him adding the rational that she didn’t trust her son and her niece were strong enough never mind miracle workers. Her hope stroked his ego enough to book the plane ticket. Though her son and niece were changing her diapers and taking shifts in staying awake to attend to her needs around the clock it didn’t count because she ‘believed in miracles’. Humble service of two average looking people whipping her rear end didn’t come close.
As I was hearing the story from all the individuals involved it confirmed what is included in the Bible that humans see with eyes and God with the heart. 1Samuel 16:7
And if the appearance and the lofty stature comes with boasting and self promotion, Isaiah 14:13-14, we prefer to go down the pit than rethink the belief.
The contrast of opinions then must’ve come as a shock to the nephew: his aunt valued his presence more than his sister’s service; his uncle the wife on the other hand complimented his sister. He anticipated bowing by all the relatives residing there. He couldn’t consider her blurting “Your sister is nicer.” water under bridge for the sake of his cousins, her daughters, and their children who were all over him, neither showing minimal respect towards his uncle being married to her over four decades. That’s how Haman (Book of Esther) decided to have a law to kill all Jews because Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage (Esther 3:5). One person’s conviction made the cup from more than three quarters full look empty. If the position/license to kill is given to these individuals without paying consequences will slay many for one. Isaiah 14:20 ‘For your land you laid waste, your people you slayed.’
How easy are we to be deceived the fact that service is seen as weakness and at the same time expected but not valued especially by the ‘just average looking’ as pointed in Isaiah 53:2.
Nothing new under the Sun. Unless God interferes to give us discernment and pull us from deception judging with our physical senses will make us end up with the one ‘brought down to the far reaches of the pit’ Isaiah 14:15
What is the point I am making taking the time to write this? One is that the Bible has everything for us to sharpen out discernment to escape the trap of deception. Senses are good when coupled with the heart in order for us to discern the fruits.
And the second, it is God’s sovereignty that makes it possible for these individuals to boast about their ungratefulness and demand bowing from all or none. They are not pleased with remnant as God is. The demand is how they betray themselves for us to clearly see their heart. We are victims of deception only when we do not read the Bible-everything we need for discernment, growth and knowledge about humans and God is there.