John 6:15 • The Opposite Direction

John 6:15 describes Jesus doing something so contrary to my experience, I simply stand in awe. When the crowds were determined to make Him their king, He literally walked away. He went the opposite direction – toward solitude and away from the cheers and adoration. In our current season of human history which is so obsessed with celebrity – with the quest for attention, acclaim, and fame at a fever pitch – the Lord’s actions here are stunning by contrast. Now, I need to confess something. A couple of days ago, I posted one of these Bible study videos on my website, podcast, and social media. And over the next twenty-four hours, I caught myself checking for likes and comments every fifteen minutes it seemed. I was behaving like an addict. But once I was able to exercise enough self-control to stop, I began asking God why I craved these “hits” of affirmation so much. And I’m ashamed of the answer. At first, I tried to convince myself that it was just due to being a little insecure about my identity since I recently retired from being a local church pastor after nearly forty years. Having had such clarity about my life and ministry for so long, I was feeling a little uncertain about my role in this world. But the truth is, I wanted to be noticed. I wanted to be admired. I wanted to feel important, relevant, esteemed. Let me just call it what it is, pride, and not the good kind, the kind that’s focused on self-promotion. And get this, that’s what motivated Lucifer’s rebellion against God and ultimately is at the root of all evil. Yuck! Now look, I believe the desires all of us have for significance and to be valued are God-given. And, dear one, He intends to fulfill them within the embrace of His relationship with us. But pride’s another thing altogether. It can NEVER be satisfied. And the more you feed it, the more it’s hunger grows. Jesus understood this and refused to allow himself to be in a position where He could even be tempted by it. He was leading us by example. Matthew’s gospel says He withdrew from the spotlight at this moment of ecstatic popularity specifically to be alone with His Father in prayer. And when we find ourselves in the crosshairs of the Spirit of Pride, we would be wise to do the same, turn and RUN to the throne of God. There’s something about being on our knees before the Sovereign of the Universe that puts things in perspective and escorts us into a deep place of security that pride can’t touch. I’m talking to you right now after having spent time at the Lord’s feet regarding my sin described earlier. And as always, I discovered there His lavish grace to cover and cleanse. But I wonder. Do you find yourself being offered pride’s empty promises today? If so, don’t hesitate. Run to the Father right now.