Dave Brisbin | 11.25.18
When it comes right down to it, the main effects of an authentic spiritual journey are gratitude and humility. From these two attributes flow every other attribute we may associate with our spiritual progress. Why? If humility is defined as an undistorted view of ourselves and our relationships with God and each other; if gratitude is defined as an undistorted view of the moment we’re in, that it contains everything we need in the moment and is enough, then these two attributes are the reflection of the experience joy and contentment of pure presence. So, how do we get there? Here, a character who doesn’t normally get a lot of attention can come to our rescue…John the Baptist.
When it comes right down to it, the main effects of an authentic spiritual journey are gratitude and humility. From these two attributes flow every other attribute we may associate with our spiritual progress. Why? If humility is defined as an undistorted view of ourselves and our relationships with God and each other; if gratitude is defined as an undistorted view of the moment we’re in, that it contains everything we need in the moment and is enough, then these two attributes are the reflection of the experience joy and contentment of pure presence. So, how do we get there? Here, a character who doesn’t normally get a lot of attention can come to our rescue…John the Baptist.
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John tells his followers that he must decrease as Jesus increases, and in his relationship as forerunner and the closeness to Jesus it affords, his joy is complete. John has a breakthrough moment standing in the waters of the Jordan that brings his humility and gratitude to a focus, but later in prison, he questions whether Jesus is the expected one or whether he should look for someone else. The beauty of scripture is that it gives us an undistorted view of the human condition and the journey to humility and gratitude, which themselves are the undistorted view of Kingdom life.
