Devotionals

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Talk about shells--we grow them thick and hard. Almost unbreakable! You can't see them, but everyone has one.

"Grow?" you ask? Oh, yes, we grow them. Most of us spend a lifetime growing them. Occasionally someone's shell breaks, but they can grow it right back in a matter of seconds. And you can't see it because it's not made of wood or plastic or metal or stone. No, these shells are made of an element called p-r-i-d-e.

Some may have thicker shells than others, but these shells of arrogance come easy for everyone. As soon as we start thinking that we're wealthier than we really are, or more important than we really are, or that our opinion matters more than it really does--the shell starts growing and hardening and thickening.

The problem is that once we grow our shell, we're stuck until we break through it. That's right--stuck. Imprisoned. Incarcerated. Trapped. These shells we grow are not liberating in the least. (Ever see a turtle walk around and think, 'Wow, he's so agile?)

I know what you're thinking. "So why don't we just break through our shells?" Because most of us won't accept the fact that we have a shell at all (which just makes it even thicker and harder). So we go about as tightly confined as can be.

But Jesus tells us that if we're going to see the kingdom of heaven, our shells must be broken through, torn off, and left behind.

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3).

The poor in spirit--those are the ones who are blessed to have the kingdom. If we want in the kingdom, we'll have to do a more accurate spiritual inventory. We'll have to be honest about what's really inside our shells ("our shells"--"ourselves"--get it?).

And if we thought for a second that we were okay--that we were spiritually well-off, boy, do we have another thing coming. We're spiritually bankrupt. Our cupboards are bare. Our well is dried up. Spiritually speaking, we are homeless, fatherless, penniless, and hopeless.

We're not okay the way we are. We don't have things figured out. We're not qualified to handle it all.

Do you remember your first experience with poverty? You walk down a busy street and see a woman sleeping on a bench with a shopping cart beside her. You watch the news and see people fill the soup kitchens during the holidays. You see a guy digging in a city dumpster, looking for his next meal.

You see them, and you think yourself, "I sure don't want to hang out with those folks." "That'll never be me." "I'm glad i'm not like him."

Listen to yourself! That's shell talk! We need to break through and face reality. Those folks that we never want to become?--we ARE those folks! In the sight of the Lord, we are every bit as homeless, improverished, filthy, outcast, and destitute as any of them.

Until we break through our thick, hard shell of pride, the cross of Christ will never mean to us what it must. So if you want the kingdom of heaven, then break through! Tear off! And leave behind! With all your heart, admit it: "On my own, I'm weak, broke, dumb, and stuck. I'm sinful. I need help."

Shhhh! Did you hear something crack? I think we just heard someone take a step towards the kingdom of heaven.

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