It is a little know earthly fact that angels are avid readers.
Instead of writing today’s column, I thought I’d include an angelic entry that can be found under “Human Maturity” in The Angel’s Handbook for Understanding Human Behavior (currently a best seller in the celestial realm). This excerpt is printed without angelic permission.
Human Maturity: Human maturity is the process by which humans find innumerable, creative, socially acceptable ways to mask their immaturity. Humans have an almost insatiable need to be distracted from all meaningful contemplation. Unwilling to confront issues of eternal importance, homo sapiens habitually create and nurture activities that have little or no substantive purpose. Humans who excel in these senseless rituals are often referred to as experts or role models. These experts frequently write books, go on talk shows, and conduct seminars to share their “wisdom” with those less adept at mastering worthless pursuits.
For many humans, their pursuit of meaningless activities has become their meaning for existence. Life literally has become the pursuit of wealth, power, fame, luxury and health. Ironically, these desires are insatiable.
The sons and daughters of Adam seem to never have enough wealth, power, fame, luxury or health to satiate their hunger. Rather, they endlessly are vexed with a strong craving for more. All the while, their souls grow weary as their neediness increases. Perpetual dissatisfaction is the fruit of so many human pursuits (see Seattle Mariner fan).
A multitude of humanity is working for a preferred future that simply does not exist. What we in the heavenlies refer to as distraction, humans label as “their reason for living.” Sadly, for much of humankind, maturity is the process by which humans fully embrace that which has no heavenly value.
It is fitting that humans erect statues and plaques to venerate those who personify earth-bound maturation. There certainly is no room for such nonsense in heaven.
As we know, heaven’s currency is what humankind likes to refer to as foolishness (see beauty). The Kingdom of God is inhabited by fools.
As we’ve learned from the Apostle Paul’s amazing letters and remembrances, “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”
In other words, God’s wisdom is not man’s wisdom. In God’s eyes, a mature human looks far more like a child than a wise old sage. In God’s economy, spiritual maturity is found in a human’s ability to recognize his or her perpetual weakness and God’s endless strength. Heaven sent maturity begins and ends with the grace, goodness, and glory of God.
This is important to remember for all angels on assignment. If you are ever given the task of bringing good news to a human, don’t be distracted by earthly labels. Humans are notorious at mislabeling. Instead, stick to the prime directive. Bring the good news of Jesus Christ. He has always been the source of meaning and maturity both on earth and in heaven. He can bring wisdom to even earth’s greatest fools. For more information concerning the word “fool” see Doug Bursch or look under the heading of every other person who has ever walked planet Earth.
Doug Bursch is the pastor of Evergreen Foursquare Church. Evergreen meets Sundays at 10 a.m. at the Riverside High School Theater. He can be reached at www.yesevergreen.org or evergreenlife@mac.com.
