MAY 15, 2025

 "It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err."

— Mahatma Gandhi

2 Kings 12–14: Strength Without Surrender

King Amaziah of Judah had just tasted victory. Flush with pride after defeating Edom, he challenged King Jehoash of Israel to battle (2 Kings 14:8). But Jehoash responded with a parable—one that should have humbled Amaziah:

"A thistle in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar: ‘Give your daughter in marriage to my son.’ But a wild beast trampled the thistle underfoot” (v. 9).

It was a poetic way of saying: Know your place. Don’t confuse a fleeting victory with lasting wisdom. But Amaziah didn’t listen. Pride drove him forward, and the result was humiliation—his army defeated, the temple treasures plundered, and Jerusalem’s wall torn down (vv. 11–14). His strength, unchecked by wisdom, became his downfall.

John 5: Misplaced Confidence

Jesus’ confrontation with the religious leaders in John 5 is no less direct. These were men deeply learned in the Scriptures, yet Jesus says plainly:

“You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me!” (v. 39).

They knew, but they didn’t understand. Their knowledge had become a fortress of pride rather than a doorway to humility. They missed the Messiah standing before them because He didn’t match their expectations. They were seeking a Savior who would affirm their power, not challenge their hearts.

Jesus continues,

“You gladly honor each other, but you don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God” (v. 44).

It’s a stunning indictment—not of ignorance, but of misplaced certainty. They had built their lives around the Scriptures but refused to let the Word become flesh in front of them.

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Journal Reflection

I can only imagine the tension in that moment—Jesus rebuking the religious elite, not because they didn’t know the Scriptures, but because they failed to recognize the One they pointed to. And I can also imagine their confusion. Jesus wasn’t what they expected. He didn’t affirm their positions, didn’t flatter their egos, didn’t align with their vision of power. To believe in Him would have required them to surrender their certainty. And for them, that was too much.

It hits close to home. I find myself building expectations too—about what God should do, when He should do it, and how. When life doesn’t go according to those unspoken assumptions, I don’t always pause to consider whether the problem lies not with God’s path, but with my own presumptions.

What I forget is this: God is never panicked. He’s never scrambling to fix my missteps or rearrange my detours. As Jesus said in John 5:17, “My Father is always working, and so am I.” Even when I don’t understand, even when things seem off course, heaven is not wringing its hands in worry.

The more I sink into Scripture—not just reading it, but trusting it—the more my anxious expectations are replaced with peace. Proverbs 3:34 reminds me, “He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.” Wisdom begins not with certainty, but with humility.

And maybe that’s the gift: God’s Spirit calling me to stretch and grow, but also to pause and appreciate. To engage the difficult and the delightful. To accept my human limitations while still daring to hope in eternal perfection.

God doesn’t rush me. He doesn’t shame me for not having it all figured out. He’s not busy or distracted. He’s simply present—patient, gracious, and always at work.