When good goes to your head...

Today: Ezekiel 28-30

Have you ever had too much of a good thing? Like too much ice cream...only to get a nasty ice cream headache? Or too much exercise...to the point where you could barely walk the next day? (Okay, so I realize those are polar opposite "good things," but the people reading this could have different perspectives.) :)

In today's passage, God has some conversations with people who let good things go to their heads. Let's review His message here:

You used your head well,

worked good deals,

made a lot of money.

But the money has gone to your head,

swelled your head—

what a big head!...

Or here:

Your beauty went to your head.

You corrupted wisdom

by using it to get worldly fame...

Maybe you read these verses and thought, "Well, I'm not like that person. I don't let money, wisdom or beauty go to my head." Perhaps. But take a look at this part of the passage:

You,
a mere mortal,
not even close to being a god,
A mere mortal
trying to be a god...

Okay, so perhaps now you're thinking, "I know I'm not a god. I'm not THAT cocky!" However, I think sometimes even humble humans try to be god-like when they try to take total control over their lives, when they act as if they don't want or need the real God at all.

It's a common human tendency since the beginning of time (just ask Adam and Eve!), but that doesn't make it right. God gives all of us the gift of free will...which means we are as free to choose stupidity as we are to choose wisdom. The good gift of free will is something that can go to our heads just as much as money, wisdom or beauty can.

Instead, let's choose to be thankful for the gifts God gives us, but recognize the goodness in our lives comes from Him. Let's choose to acknowledge God as God...which means understanding we are not. And to be perfectly honest, there is great freedom--a gift actually--in that recognition itself.

Tomorrow: Ezekiel 31-33

Head and heart love

Today: Acts 18-20

There are some things I can love only with my head--like spiders, for instance.

I can love spiders with my head because I know that God made them and because I know that they actually catch other bugs. But I do NOT love spiders with my heart--I do not feel any sense of compassion, empathy or affection for them. At all. :)

On a similar note, John Mayer sings a song ("I Don't Trust Myself") where he asks, "Who do you love? Me? Or the thought of me?" In this song, John illustrates the difference between head and heart love. Both are actually essential when it comes to really loving people...and when it comes to loving God.

I love what Paul asked some new Christians in today's reading:

"Did you take God into your mind only,

or did you also embrace him with your heart?

Did he get inside you?"

Those are powerful questions. When God is in our minds only, we may respect Him. We may revere Him. Those qualities are important and essential to a real understanding of who He is. But we may not really love Him.

To really love Him--the real Him--is different when your heart is involved. Love from the heart means loving God when He doesn't make sense (to us anyway) or when things aren't peachy "on paper" perfect. It means that we have to stop projecting our own (sometimes ridiculous!) thoughts of who He is onto Him...and start seeing and knowing the real Him.

God wants my whole head, heart and life. Saying "I love you" to Him should not be routine and robotic, but real...and forever.

Tomorrow: Acts 21-23