Gaining a Berean-like Humility

Acts 17:11 says, "Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."

Currently, I am a student of New Tribes Bible Institute. As I have walked now through three full semesters, I have found it to be one of the greatest experiences of my life. I have had the opportunity to make some of the best friends a guy could have asked for, and classes are absolutely phenomenal.

I have also grown in my knowledge and understanding of the Word of God far beyond the rate that I could have ever dreamed, and I am confident that many others would proclaim the same. However, I have realized something that has been quite the challenge for me in having daily time with my Lord.

You can learn a lot of facts in Bible class, but you get to know God in devotion time!

Class is great! So don't misunderstand, but we are not called to just be satisfied with that. God doesn't want us or find fulfillment in watching us sit in Bible class for three hours a day, while at the same time it not have any effect on our lives! He desires us to grow up into all spiritual maturity. His aim is to make us into true disciples of Jesus Christ.

However, purely by the grace of God, He is continually revealing an area of my heart that is not in line with His word. Because of this revelation, I now tend to be finding myself looking through new eyes and seeing this same struggle, that I so heavily deal with, playing out in the lives of my brothers and sisters.

I notice that it is more of a struggle with those of us who have taken Bible classes in the past. I believe that I have caught a glimpse into what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 8:1 when he says, "...Knowledge makes arrogant..."

Taking a journey through Bible school, growing up in church, and even being born into a missionary family, sets a path that we can all find ourselves on at times. Having been indoctrinated by the generation before, we can grow arrogant in our thinking, prideful in our way of speaking, and sadly just plain puffed up in ourselves because of our so-called, "wealth of knowledge."

When this past semester of school was over, just before we all left for summer break, many of us who were still on campus had gotten together in one of the lounge areas' to have breakfast. I do not remember the day, but what happened while we were there broke my heart.

Somebody turned on the television and began flipping channels. They had finally stopped and left it on a Christian network station that was allowing a pastor to answer mailed-in theological questions. I was not familiar with this specific pastor, but I was intrigued to listen in on the answers he would give to these heartfelt questions.

As I am watching this show, behind me I hear one of my fellow classmate's say, "I just looked him up on my phone and it turns out he's a heretic!" I turned around with an absolute broken spirit because just two days before, God had revealed to me what Acts 17:11 is truly saying. What hurt worse was the fact that it wasn't anything even major. I am beginning to believe that Satan wants us to major on the minors, and minor on the majors.

In no way did I view this individual or the others that were in agreement with them as lower than I, but I looked at them through the eyes of grace, acknowledging that so often in my Christian life that has been me, and I was not aware until God's Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see my sin.

If you read Acts 17:11 you will see that there are two aspects to this verse; And pay attention to the order of what occurs first and what comes second.

1. "...they received the word with great eagerness..."
2. "...examining the scriptures daily to see whether these things were so."

They did not only examine the truth to make sure it was accurate, but the very first thing they did when anybody would pick up a Bible and preach/teach the word of God to them, they would receive it with great eagerness. With all joy, they understood the power of God's word!

I wonder sometimes, as I look at your heart and mine, where has the early church apostolic humility gone? And when you find it, why is it not contagious? Why is it not spreading like a wildfire? I am praying that God will fill us with His joy and His passion to truly and wholeheartedly receive His word with great eagerness as the Bereans did.

Please take this to heart and apply this to your life. You don't have to fully agree on everything in scripture with your pastor, teacher, or TV evangelist. There is a ground to stand on when it comes to divine truth, but many times we foolishly choose to die on the wrong hills' that really don't matter. Pray to God to open your eyes and to give you this eagerness.