There is a remarkable statement, Genesis 49 vs 2, that at first glance we can skip right past. But, as we delve into the history of Jacob, suddenly, Genesis 49 vs 2 opens up a field to plough.
AND, a mirror to evaluate ourselves before our amazing Father whose agenda is to grow us into the fullness of Christ-likeness.
Jacob, the man, was fraught with bitterness, bad choices, and victim-mentality. Genesis 42 vs 36, Jacob states, “Everything is against me!”
But, as Guzik, D, ‘Enduring Word‘ shows us, Jacob had grown into the awareness of what God intended for him, yet still was honest about his humanness- “You sons of Jacob, listen to Israel your father.”
Each of us, until the day we die, OR Jesus returns will incrementally die to self (Jacob) and grow into Christ-likeness (Israel).
By default of being human we have biases.
3 main biases, in fact:
- Acquired Bias- all we know exists within this world we found ourselves in. This means our understanding is limited to what we can know within this world.
- Interpretative Bias- our base instinct is survival. By default our self-preservation creates a bias that seeks self before others. Therefore, our interpretation will be coloured by “What’s in it for me?”
- Cognitive Bias- Depending on culture, beliefs, eduction, experiences, and perspective (interpretation bias), what we think is influenced by what we know. Because we don’t know everything, we can only judge the world by what we know, making it likely we will get things wrong sometimes.
Because we, instinctively, self-protect (Jacob), we also self-victimise by denying our bias which limits our ability to grow into what God says of us (Israel).
Like Jacob came into recognition that his humanism was a bias, we too need to be honest with ourselves. To do so, taking a page out of Jesus’ life we begin to see the frailty of our way in comparison to the vision of us defined by God, and achieved by doing things His Way.
Luke 23 vs 46, ‘Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit! ‘ And having said this he breathed his last”’
Jesus didn’t respond to the work of the enemy, who played into God’s Hand, turning people to crucify Jesus because their bias blinded them from seeing God-in-flesh before their very eyes.
JESUS KNEW THAT GOD HAS THE HIGHEST, MAXIMALLY, ULTIMATE PERSPECTIVE, POWER, AND VISION THAT COULD NOT FAIL.
We need to learn to let go of our internalised Jacobness and discover our metaphorical Israel which ultimately references and refers to Jesus who returns with The New Jerusalem- Himself.
Because we have gotten comfortable with our Jacobness, we do things in our strength, our understanding, and our will, not realising that we are puppets of the enemy whose agenda is to “steal, kill, and destroy.”
So, how we recognise traits that show us how deeply our victim-mentality (Jacobness) goes?
One of my favourite quotes, Dr. Chiba Okadigno, shows us the depth of destruction we create when we choose to not allow God to birth His Vision for us in us.
Maxwell, John C, ‘How Successful People Think: Change Your Life’, offers a simple piece of advice that begins the journey out of victim-mentality into the fullness of God’s Good and Abundant vision for us – becoming Christ-like.
So what is the Highest, Maximally Ultimate place to reach for the best version of ourselves- God of course. We find that in His Holy Word.
As you listen to the track below, my prayer for us is, “God remove our veil that blinds us from our bias. Open our eyes to see who You say that we can be. Help us strive towards it by letting of of our internalised Jacobness. In Jesus Mighty Name. AMEN.”
#Hayibo 