A Lawyer Looks at the Trials of the Apostle Paul. Acts 24-26.

Laws are built on beliefs about the nature of man, of justice and fairness, and how best to operate a society. No source played a larger role in the development of Anglo-American (“English-American”) law than the Bible. Not only did the Archbishop of Canterbury write the first draft of the Magna Carta, but the book most often cited by America’s founding fathers in their speeches and writings is the Bible, accounting for 34 percent of all citations.[1]

Many of the legal principles we use today are based on the laws God gave to Moses. This is true not only of criminal law, but also civil law, family law, wills and estates, contracts, and torts, credit, banking, property law, and more.

Consider the trials in the Bible. Jesus—the only innocent man in history—was found guilty in a kangaroo court.  Many of the most widely accepted rules of court procedure were broken by leaders desperate to put Jesus to death. The trials before the High Priest, Herod, and Pontius Pilate were a mockery, even by the standards of the time. The trials of Jesus were so ridiculous they can be written off as a fraud.

More interesting are the trials of the Apostle Paul, including as they did a mixture of good procedure and bad.

By today’s standards, those who put Paul on trial did some things right and some things wrong.

In Acts 24:5, the prosecutor, a lawyer named Tertullus, begins his charge against Paul with name-calling. “We have found this man to be a plague, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the Roman world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes” Acts 24:5. Name-calling by a prosecutor is not unusual, but where most follow that up with evidence of an actual crime, this prosecutor had no evidence.

In Acts 24:10 and again in 25:6, two Roman governors sit as judges. That was normal at the time, but today we would consider this a Separation of Powers problem. If you are an executive (a president, governor, mayor, or king), you should not also be the judge. When executives sit as judges, they will be influenced by political pressures from which judges are insulated—because executives must be re-elected. Even in ancient Rome, executives such as the procurator Pontius Pilate were rewarded based on their ability to maintain order. This would have motivated Pilate to calm crowds and prevent riots. Such a motivation made him a biased judge. That is, Pilate was willing to have an innocent man crucified because he knew it would calm the crowd that was shouting “Crucify him!” Mark 15:13.

Separation of Powers problems were the norm throughout history until John Locke, Montesquieu, and America’s founders perfected the doctrine separating the executive from the judiciary.

Governor Felix then ordered Paul be locked up until Lysias—the equivalent of a police officer—could come testify for the prosecution. Unfortunately, Paul was then held under house arrest for TWO YEARS!

Today we have the right to a speedy trial. Clearly ancient Rome had no such concerns. (Plus, Felix kept hoping Paul would come up with some bribe money! Acts 24:26.)

In Acts 25:7, Paul’s accusers come up with more charges, but again no evidence. “The Jews brought many serious charges that they were not able to prove.” Finally, Paul appealed to Caesar. Paul knew his rights as a Roman citizen.

“You have appealed to Caesar, to Caesar you will go” Acts 25:12.

Soon King Agrippa and Bernice arrived, Jewish royalty from the line of Herod. Festus, the new governor, explained he could not render a verdict against Paul until Paul faced his accusers.

“It’s not the Romans’ custom to give any man up before the accused confronts the accusers face-to-face” Acts 25:16. This is an early mention of a right the Bill of Rights enshrines today: the right to face one’s accusers.

Governor Festus added that he could not figure out what Paul was accused of.  Today we would call this a habeus corpus problem. Anyone who is arrested must be brought before the judge and formally charged.

In practical terms, this ALWAYS produces a writing. No one is charged with a crime or held overnight in jail without some sort of paper detailing the exact crimes with which that person is charged. Yet Paul had been in jail for two years and still Governor Festus said, “I have nothing definite to write to my lord about him … It seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to indicate the charges against him” Acts 25:26-27. (Unreasonable? Ya’ think?)

Before King Agrippa and Bernice, Paul is invited to testify on his own behalf. But wait. Doesn’t Paul have the right to an attorney? As we say in America’s Miranda warnings, “If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you.”

The scripture mentions the lawyer Tertullus and others working for the prosecution. But who is defending Paul? No one, it seems. (Of course, if anyone in the Bible might be capable of mounting his own defense, it would be Paul.) But ancient Rome did not provide free lawyers to criminal defendants.

For a missionary and evangelist, speaking on his own behalf is a great opportunity. Paul wants nothing more than to testify about the risen Savior, and he will share his testimony with everyone from peasants to Caesar, both “the small and the great” Acts 26:22.

However, as a defendant in a criminal case—who has yet to be officially charged with a crime—it makes no sense for Paul to offer a defense at this stage. Why? Because it is impossible to provide a quality defense against charges of which you are not certain. If Paul does not know what law he is alleged to have broken, how can he defend himself against the charge?

Modern trials always begin with the party bearing the burden of proof. Who has something to prove? In a criminal case, it is always the prosecutor–the party that wants to take away a man’s freedom. Should the prosecutor fail to prove its case, there is no reason to go on. The accused can go free without saying a word.

But Paul will not turn down an opportunity to speak. He is on a mission to testify about Jesus and all that the Risen Messiah has done for him and for the world. Thus, he offers his defense. Which of course is a brilliant sermon. 

He begins with a classic defense still taught in law schools today. He re-frames the debate—as he always does—describing the case against him as a case against the reality of the resurrection:

“I stand on trial for the hope of the promise made by God to our fathers, the promise our 12 tribes hope to attain as they earnestly serve Him night and day. King Agrippa, I am being accused by the Jews because of this hope. Why is it considered incredible by any of you that God raises the dead?” Acts 26:6-8.

One of the things that makes the Bible such a relevant, credible book is stories like this one. While Paul’s experience in the tribunals of ancient Rome was different from ours, the details Luke includes make the narrative more realistic and frankly, more believable than many other religious works. The Bible reports the detailed stories of real people, living real lives, and facing real struggles.

ΑΩ


P.S. A FEW WORDS ABOUT “DOCTOR LUKE.”

Readers appreciate Luke’s careful reporting so much that we sometimes speak of “Doctor Luke” as though he were a neurosurgeon, some highly trained practitioner of modern medical science. However, Luke practiced medicine centuries before the advent of science. His simpler work would have included proven, practical treatments, such as splints for broken bones and poultices for wounds, yet would be primitive by today’s standards.

Modern medicine is built on the scientific method. And the Bible played a role in that. The scientific method was created by Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes who were convinced God is not a god of chaos but of order, 1 Corinthians 14:33, and if God is a God of order, then His creation is also ordered. And if the natural world is ordered, then it follows rules (such as the law of gravity) and if nature follows rules, then we can learn those rules through experimentation. Modern medicine still rests on that foundation.

Although I have often speculated that Luke may have employed “heroic medicine” based on the theory of the humors, I have learned that is false. The practice of heroic medicine began with the Greek philosopher and physician Claudius Galen who was born in 129 AD, long after Luke’s death. (Heroic medicine used purging, starving, vomiting, and bloodletting to relieve the body of various fluids believed to be out of balance. Think leeches.) Nevertheless, heroic medicine is a reminder just how primitive medical science was in the first century A.D. Luke was a careful writer, but whether his occupation as a ‘physician’ has anything to do with his meticulous record keeping is unclear.

[1] Christianity and the Constitution: The Faith of Our Founding Fathers, by John Eidsmoe, p.12 (1987).

Conspiracy Theories. Acts 23:12-13,16.

Here’s a bit of Texas law:

“A person commits criminal conspiracy if, with intent a felony be committed, (1) he agrees with one or more persons that they … engage in conduct that would constitute the offense; and (2) … one or more of them performs an overt act in pursuance of the agreement” Texas Penal Code §15.02.

A conspiracy is an agreement between two or more persons to commit a crime–and at least one of them acted on it.

What is a “conspiracy theory”? Webster defines it as “a theory that explains an event as the result of a SECRET plot by powerful conspirators.”

A popular conspiracy theory says that the US government, failing in the space race with Russia, conspired with Hollywood directors and people at NASA to pretend that the US sent rockets to the moon. How many engineers, astronauts, film crews, and other people would have been in on such a secret? Five hundred? A thousand? Ten thousand?

Paul’s enemies conspired against him:

“The Jews formed a CONSPIRACY and bound themselves under a curse: neither to eat nor to drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than 40 who had formed this plot…. But the son of Paul’s sister, hearing about their ambush, came and entered the barracks and reported it” Acts 23:12-13,16.

The death of every conspiracy is the product of the NUMBER OF CONSPIRATORS multiplied by the TIME REQUIRED TO KEEP THE SECRET.

TWO FACTS APPLICABLE TO EVERY CONSPIRACY THEORY:

  1. The more PEOPLE involved, the greater the risk the secret will get out, and
  2. The more TIME required, the greater the risk the secret will get out. Two guys might keep a secret until the weekend. But can a thousand people take a secret to their graves? Human nature says no.

Perhaps the most successful conspiracy was the 23 Roman senators who killed Julius Caesar. Yet they only kept a secret a few days.

AS THE NUMBER OF CONSPIRATORS GOES UP, THE LIFE-SPAN OF THE SECRET GOES DOWN.

As for the forty who conspired to murder Paul, they were committed—they swore off food—yet they could not keep the secret for one day, 23:16.

Individuals may take secrets to their graves. But large groups will find it extremely difficult. Why is it so hard for groups of people to take secrets to their graves? Because every day things change. With each passing year, many circumstances change. The money, power, or influence your secret bought you may run out. The threat that was keeping you quiet may disappear. The tabloid magazine may offer you money for your story at a time when you need money more than you need to keep your secret. In addition to changed circumstances, there is guilt. Someone is going to discover that keeping the secret is ruining his life. There are few pleasures as great as laying down a heavy burden. Someone is going to cave.

Eventually, there will be as many changed circumstances as there are individuals in the conspiracy. When enough time has passed, many of them will find that their circumstances have changed. Their hearts have changed. And how many people does it take to blow the conspiracy? Only one.

It only takes one person with a change of heart to spill a secret held by many.

Thus, with enough people involved and the passage of enough time, secrets will come out. The truth will out, as Shakespeare put it.

When you hear of global conspiracy theories, remember: AS THE NUMBER OF CONSPIRATORS GOES UP, THE LIFE-SPAN OF THE SECRET GOES DOWN.

For example, human nature proves that the moon landing was not faked on some Hollywood movie set. Neither were the attacks of 9/11 orchestrated by the Bush Administration, the nation of Israel, and New York bankers, just to create an excuse to attack Israel’s enemies. Such “theories” would require thousands to carry overwhelming secrets to their graves. That would never happen.

God, give us WISDOM!

ΑΩ

Jesus said the end times would be characterized not only by “wars and rumors of wars,” by earthquakes and famines and the beginning of the birth pangs, but by DECEPTION. “Take heed that no one misleads you” Matthew 24:4. I have never seen such a chorus of misleading voices. Between anti-intellectualism, social media, Artificial Intelligence, Deep Fakes, incompetent Influencers, the predatory wellness movement, biased reporting masquerading as journalism, the ignorance of expertise, plagiarism and other factors decimating scholarship and the peer-review process, the rise of false religions, cults, and new age spirituality, I am more inclined to call ours the end times than ever before.

How Do You Judge Public Speaking? Acts 23:11.

Every time a candidate for president gives a speech, the pundits on television offer their analysis: how many minutes was the speech? Did the speaker improvise or stick to the script? Was the tone optimistic, pessimistic, or neutral? Did the speaker focus on numbers and facts or on heart-felt human stories? Was there humor? How often was the speaker interrupted by applause? How will the message be received by people around the nation and world? And the final question: Was the speech a success or a failure?

In Acts 22:1-22, Paul gives an important speech in Jerusalem. He was warned not to go to Jerusalem. He admitted that the Holy Spirit told him that “chains and afflictions are waiting for me” Acts 20:23. Well-meaning believers were hearing the same thing from the Lord and likewise warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem in Acts 21:4 and Acts 21:10-12. But Paul was convinced God was warning him not to STOP him, but to PREPARE him. He needed to know that Jerusalem would not be an easy trip.

It was so tough, in fact, that simply entering the temple nearly caused a riot. Before Paul could even speak, he was falsely accused, arrested, and “all Jerusalem was in chaos” Acts 21:31. But Paul secured permission to speak and told his story: educated by Gamaliel, a persecutor of ‘The Way,’ he then met Jesus on the road to Damascus. The crowd listened attentively until Paul reported that Jesus had spoken to him these words: “Go, because I will send you far away to the Gentiles” Acts 22:21. That line was like a bomb going off! The GENTILES!

Suddenly the crowd was screaming for blood. “Wipe this man off the earth! It’s a disgrace for him to live!” Acts 22:22.  The commander decided that Paul needed to be “examined with the scourge” Acts 22:24 (talk about “enhanced interrogation techniques”). Paul stopped the whipping when he informed them of his Roman citizenship. But he was still dragged away and thrown in a dungeon.

How’s that for public speaking? Would the TV critics rate Paul’s speech a success or a failure? How would you rate it if you were Paul? The crowd started out angry, listened for a few minutes, then began screaming for his death. (If the audience yells “This man is not fit to live!” most speakers would rate the speech a failure.)

But what about the spiritual impact? Did people come streaming down the aisles for counseling while the crowd sang “Just As I Am”? Did anyone pray to receive Christ? Is there evidence that even one life was changed in Jerusalem that day? No. But PAUL OBEYED GOD and the Lord was pleased.

That night Jesus came to Paul in a vision and congratulated him. Turns out, this was a great speech!

“The following night, the Lord stood by him and said, ‘Have courage! For as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must testify in Rome” Acts 23:11.

That’s it? That’s God’s plan? Paul was almost killed in Jerusalem—and for what? And now God is going to send him to Rome? Why? Where are the results? Where are the numbers? Was someone baptized? Did someone put money into an offering envelope?

Clearly, “God does not see as man sees, for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” 1 Samuel 16:7. God knows that Paul’s testimony bore fruit that day. God knows the impact Paul’s words will have on the hearts of the Jewish audience—eventually. Paul could not see that fruit. Paul may never see that fruit. But Paul was faithful. He shared his story wherever God took him. Paul shared his faith—and he trusted God with the results.

Sometimes when you talk about the Lord, or teach a Bible lesson, it may seem to make no difference at all. But it is our job to be faithful and share the gospel—and trust God with the results. Sometimes the lesson, the conversation, the sermon, or speech you give may look like a complete failure. The critics may tell you that you’ve blown it. But your job is merely to be faithful and share the truth. Leave the results to God.

ΑΩ

A JESUS LIFE—WHAT AN ADVENTURE! Acts 23:11.

Imagine living every day on a quest that is larger than you, larger than life, a journey so dramatic your life is at risk every moment, but you see visions of heaven and the life to come. You understand scripture, life on earth, and life in heaven better than anyone. Jesus is the center, but daily he reminds you that you were chosen to play an incredible role. Such was Paul’s experience. To call it “intense” would be an understatement. Frequently God warned Paul of danger, and Paul shrugged it off:

“I know not what I will encounter, except that in town after town the Holy Spirit testifies to me that chains and afflictions await me” Acts 20:22-23. Later Luke reports, “we found some disciples… and through the Spirit they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem” Acts 21:4 (but Paul continued). In Caesarea, “a prophet named Agabus … took Paul’s belt, tied his own feet and hands, and said, ‘the Holy Spirit says in the same way the Jews will bind the man who owns this belt,’” (vv.10-11) and everyone begged Paul not to go. But he said, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I AM READY NOT ONLY TO BE BOUND BUT TO DIE in Jerusalem” Acts 21:13.  

If God said to me, ‘if you go to Jerusalem, you will be arrested,’ I would assume He meant ‘DON’T GO.’ But Paul knows differently—God is warning him to prepare him, but not to stop him. So Paul went to Jerusalem, was arrested, jailed, and when things looked bad, Jesus appeared with hope:

“The Lord stood by him and said, ‘Take courage! For as you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome’” Acts 23:11.

And the adventure continued.

Jesus, deepen our walk with you. Use us to reach others. Give us courage to face persecution. Help us love your word, know your voice, seek your face. Make us love you more every day. Thank you for the ADVENTURE of following you.

ΑΩ

FALSE DOCTRINE. Acts 20:29-30.

I was Doug’s camp counselor; he was my FAVORITE seventh grader. Now he is the meanest radical out there. He insults not only me, but was rude to my mom on Facebook—whom he has known his ENTIRE life. I try to laugh with him, but it’s hard.

I once shared a comical story online about a female student who very obviously would not hold the elevator for me at UH, and yet I arrived to the classroom long before she did. She was late, in fact. It was a funny, innocent story. But Doug blasted me, because as a male professor, I am PRIVILEGED, while the female student is powerless. How dare I expect her to arrive on time!

False doctrine is a CANCER that will destroy joy—and relationships.

“After my departure, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. And men will rise up from your own family with deviant doctrines to lure disciples into following them. Beware!” Acts 20:29-30.

When angels visited Lot, “the men of Sodom surrounded the house, young and old, from all over town, and called to Lot: ‘Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may have sex with them” Genesis 19:5. Lot discouraged them, even offering his daughters, but the men were determined to sodomize these angels who had appeared in the form of men. This was not about children. Neither women nor children would satisfy these aggressors: they were obsessed with man-flesh. So God destroyed them: “the Lord rained brimstone and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah. He burned up those cities and the surrounding area and everything that grew on the ground” Genesis 19:24-25.

If you were God, what more could you do to make the rules clear?

Knowing the facts of this story about angels disguised as men, those who argue God destroyed Sodom because the people were pedophiles have rebelled against God by placing their own opinion above the authority of His word. The men of the city did not come out to commit ‘pederasty’ by attacking little boys. And those who say they did are promoting the deviant doctrine of savage wolves as described in Acts 20:29.

ΑΩ

[1] I changed these names.

The Wisdom of Ignorance … Romans 16:19-20.

Is it ever better to be ignorant? To NOT know something? Yes.

Soldiers who endured trench warfare in World War 1, Japanese prison camps in World War 2, and jungle warfare in Vietnam would say, yes—there are some things not worth knowing, some experiences you do NOT want to endure. Sometimes it is better to be ignorant than to have knowledge of horrible evils and the difficult psychological problems that often accompany such knowledge.

Does that make sense? Am I, a “lifelong learner,” suggesting there are things I do not wish to know? Yes.

I do not need to let a snake bite me in order to understand that it is venomous. I would prefer to remain ignorant of the suffering inflicted by snake bites, bullet wounds, and stabbings. I might be interested in reading a book about some of these experiences, yet even then, I would use discretion.

“But I want you to be wise about what is good, yet innocent about what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” Romans 16:19-20.

Think about this and remember it forever:

THERE ARE THINGS YOU DO NOT NEED TO KNOW. THERE ARE FACTS YOU DO NOT NEED TO LEARN. THERE ARE QUESTIONS FOR WHICH YOU DO NOT NEED ANSWERS. THERE ARE EXPERIENCES THAT WILL HARM YOU.

“Be innocent in what is evil.”

God, remove our passion for sinful “adventures” and learning things we should not and replace it with a heart that is content with the “wisdom of ignorance.”

ΑΩ

DEVIANT DOCTRINES. Acts 20:30.

“… Men will rise up with DEVIANT DOCTRINES…” Acts 20:30

2020 was a terrible year. COVID 19, the death of George Floyd, Antifa, riots, the desecration of statues and history, arson in dozens of major cities, vicious anger at law enforcement and the government that culminated in an attack on the U.S. Capitol. And of course, there was the election—a bitter contest between a Democrat has-been and a maverick Republican whose greatest strength may be his ability to polarize Americans into warring camps. With cities on fire across the nation, there were times I wondered whether America would soon descend into all-out war.

Then things calmed and improved. Schools re-opened and we went back to work. But America remains divided.

The Bible cautions us about choosing sides and arguing over everything:

“Do not argue about doubtful issues” Romans 14:1.

“Watch out for those who cause dissensions and obstacles contrary to the doctrine you have learned. Avoid them! For such people do not serve our Lord Christ but their own appetites. They deceive the hearts of the unsuspecting with smooth talk and flattering words” Romans 16:17-18.

Paul says avoid people who stir up arguments. That goes for social media—AVOID PEOPLE WHO STIR UP ARGUMENTS.

“I want you to be WISE about what is good, but innocent about what is evil” Romans 16:19.

Pray for wisdom—BEG GOD for wisdom about these topics. But don’t immerse yourself in them. Instead, immerse yourself in God’s word. Then you will be able to see the truth clearly. Answers will ONLY be found in the WORD. Don’t hunt for answers on social media. Read the Word.

God, give us wisdom! Remind us—convict us—that your WORD is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path.

ΑΩ

WORD FOR ADULTS. Romans 14:20-21; 1 Cor. 6:12.

The tension between Law and Grace creates the most cerebral issues in Christianity. This is faith for grownups—it’s not the “milk of the word” for baby Christians (1 Peter 2:2). The law says “thou shalt not,” and grace says, “All things are lawful.” So which is it?

Romans 14:20 says “Everything is clean.” First Corinthians 6:12, says “All things are lawful for me.” What is Paul saying? I can do whatever I want? “God forbid,” is his answer to similar questions in Romans 6. Consequences remain.

He is saying that because he is no longer under the law—under the Old Covenant—he cannot break the law and separate himself from God. There is nothing he can do to make himself lost again, destined for judgment. “All things are lawful for me.” I cannot break the law and separate myself from God. Paul is not saying that God will be PLEASED if Paul commits adultery or becomes an alcoholic. And Paul makes that exact point:

“All things are lawful for me, but not all things are constructive. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be MASTERED by anything.” 1 Corinthians 6:12.

Consequences remain. Believers have been delivered from the law; we will not lose our salvation—but we still live on earth, where we reap what we sow. Bad habits can ruin your life. Do you want to be mastered by your animal impulses? It can happen—be CAREFUL with your Christian freedom, for the SELFISH reason of avoiding addictions and other consequences.

In Romans, Paul makes the same point for SELFLESS reasons: Be CAREFUL with your Christian freedom because your choices can hurt the faith of others.

“Everything is clean, but it is wrong for a man to cause stumbling by what he eats. It is a NOBLE thing not to eat meat, or to drink wine, or to do anything that makes your brother stumble” Romans 14:20-21.

Perhaps the lesson is: BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR CHRISTIAN FREEDOM for two reasons: (1) exercising that freedom may harm you if it leads to addictions and other negative consequences, and (2) exercising that freedom may harm others if it causes their faith to stumble.

Adults—you have FREEDOM in Christ. You are not under the law. If you have surrendered your life to Christ, you will NOT go to hell. But choices have consequences. Make the wise and selfless choices.

ΑΩ

WHO’S THE BOSS? Romans 14:7-8

Are you the boss? Do you decide everything? Do you decide when to get up, when to go to bed, when to study? Do you decide who to talk to? Who your friends are? Who to avoid? Your hobbies? Your classes? How you use your free time?

When was the last time you asked God to guide you, to show you what HE wants you to do?

He made you. He knows you better than you know yourself. Those dreams you have? He put them in you. He knows your desires and He wants to bless you. But you have to seek Him and let Him lead you. Are you doing that? Are you spending a few minutes in the Word every day?

(Did you know that if you read the Bible for 12 minutes a day, you will finish it within a year?)

Seek Him. He wants to bless you. But you have to let Him be in charge. Invite Jesus to be the boss.

Romans 14:7-8 says, “For none of us lives for himself, and no one dies for himself. If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.”

It’s not about you. It’s not about me. We live and die for the Lord. You are here today for the Lord.

God, I know you made me and your plan for me is better than anything I might come up with on my own. I give my life to you—and I want to start by giving you this day. Lead me today. Speak to me and guide me. Help me follow you. Help me read the Word and love your Word. And help me to follow you and listen for your voice every day. I want to submit myself completely to you. I love you! Be the Lord and boss of all my decisions starting today. Remind me to spend time in your Word and in prayer every day. I love you, Lord Jesus.

ΑΩ

DO NOT BE WISE… Romans 12:16.

Children are amazingly TEACHABLE. Every day they stare outward, soaking up everything and memorizing new things without trying. Babies watch people and figure out faces and expressions and gestures and words. It’s an incredible, lightning-fast process. And reading! Imagine beginning first grade in August and knowing almost nothing about reading, and by Christmas you are sounding out words and reading Luke chapter two. Reading well is a sophisticated skill. It requires you to recognize letters, then groups of letters called words, then groups of words called sentences—and there are subtle cues, emotions, tone of voice. There is so much involved in reading well. Yet most kids master it.

Then something changes. One day that baby staring outward at the world turns his gaze on himself. The child looks at how much he has learned and congratulates himself: “I’m so smart.” The urgency is gone; the CURIOSITY is gone. Life is no longer fresh. School does not seem to offer anything new. So he tells himself he has learned enough (“I can read, after all!”) and he does not want to continue learning. Worse, some decide they are AGAINST learning. School is not for me, reading is not part of my life, etc.

I know you can see the foolishness in that.

Yet Christians do the same thing. We think we’ve heard all the Bible stories, we’ve learned about Noah’s Ark, and Moses, and David and Goliath, and Jesus Loved the Little Children, and what else is there? So we are done learning.

“Do not be wise in your own estimation” Romans 12:16.

Paul says do not make the mistake of considering yourself wise and thus closing the door to the kind of learning that brings wisdom. If you are humble, you will continue learning and your wisdom will INCREASE. Don’t look at your wisdom and congratulate yourself. Instead, look at the mysteries that remain around you. Stay humble and keep learning!

God, give us the wisdom to be humble—and the humility that will make us truly wise.

ΑΩ