Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Monday August 4, 2008

While using an elevator I heard part of a song wailing, "I gotta be me," and the thought that the song could be the rally song of the human race flashed through my small brain. The assertion of self, often against any semblance of reason, is the main cause of most trouble in all personal relationships, most business fights and certainly national and international wars.

Albert Einstein, not famous for his expertise on human relations, but a thinker in fields where I seldom wander, did make at least one statement on the human condition worth giving a little thought too, as we meander through the maze of SELF v Ourselves.

Einstein said:

"The true value of a human being can be found in the degrees to which he has attained liberation from himself."

Einstein may be the first person of note to express this truth concerning the self in these exact words, but I assure you the thought behind the words is biblical from cover to cover. In John 8:32 Jesus said:

"And ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free."

Contextually the thought is on the relationship of The Father and The Son, trickling down to born again ones, who through learning the discipline come to a knowledge of the divine revelation concerning God and according to James, themselves. When James states that we are to take long lingering looks into God's word, as though it were a mirror, we through the word see ourselves as God sees us, thus we know where we need the touch of the master's hand.

We, while pretending to search for truth refuse to face the truth once it is presented. As a rule, even Christians cannot and will not accept the divine revelation about our true condition. We, viewed through our own eyes find being likened unto a worm, are insulted, yet God makes the metaphor as an appropriate one. The idea of a graduate of Yale being a wretch in God's view is simply too much, so the word must be changed.

People find it really hard to accept what Jesus meant in his famous verse on being made free through THE truth. Many of His time wanted the statement to be a political one which they could use to throw off the Roman yoke. Others wanted the Pharisees to prevail over the Sadducees. And still others were certain that if the truth broke through, the Zealots would prevail. Only a few grasped the truth, that inner freedom is not affected by politics, religious party or even the economy, but rather freedom related to truth is going on inside of you, not matter who is carrying on in the White House. Or the bank. True freedom is between you and God and Jesus Christ is making this known.

"The true value of a human being can be found in the degrees to which he has attained liberation from himself."

When men and women are at peace with God, they then are liberated from themselves.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2008 Use with credit.

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