Think back to your elementary math class when you were learning about > greater than, < less than, and = equal. The lesson was to use the right symbol to indicate how two numbers compared to each other. I remember being told that, “The alligator’s mouth always eats the bigger number!” The easiest one to recognize was when the two numbers were equal. They reconciled with each other.
2 Corinthians 5:18-19 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
When I read the verse above, I focused on the meaning of reconciliation; it is speaking of being made equal or the same. Each month when you reconcile your checkbook or personal records, you are making sure your total equals the bank’s. If it doesn’t, you find the problem and make the adjustment, or fix the error so that they reconcile. The verse above tells me that God has reconciled me to himself through Jesus Christ.
So why does a person need to be reconciled to God? What is creating the difference so that an adjustment to a person’s spiritual account needs to be made? First, God is completely holy. He has never made a decision for selfish reasons; He has never told a lie; He is perfect. You, on the other hand, have done wrong for personal benefit. You have told a lie at one point in your life. These sins create an error in your spiritual account that requires adjustment.
If you have not reconciled with God, you cannot go to heaven nor can you experience a relationship with Him. The difference in your spiritual account makes these things impossible. You must be reconciled! You are not greater than God, nor can you assume yourself to be equal to God. Neither of these reconciles your account nor can these assumptions fix the error. You require an adjustment to your spiritual account, and this is an adjustment that you have no power within yourself to make.
Now, you recognize that God is so completely holy there is no way you are physically equal to Him, nor are you equal to His righteousness. But here is the incredible piece of this reconciliation. Jesus Christ can make the necessary adjustment to your spiritual account so that you can reconcile with God. With this thought must come a flood of humility and gratitude for what Jesus has done for you! For this reconciliation to work, Jesus Christ has to be equal to God; He had to be God in the flesh. If Jesus is not God, then there is no way He can reconcile you to God.
When you are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, the debt and difference that exists in your spiritual account will be cleared. How does Jesus adjust your account? Jesus Christ made the ultimate sacrifice when He died on the cross and made His perfect blood-sacrifice available to you. This blood-sacrifice is the adjustment you need to reconcile your account. He proved He was God when He rose from the grave. Jesus is not dead. God is not dead.
When you receive Jesus as your savior, you are allowing Jesus to pay for your sins and cover the difference in your spiritual account. Jesus applies His payment for your sins to your account and now you reconcile. He considers your sin-debt paid and the difference that exists in your spiritual account is removed. The instant you are reconciled to Jesus you are reconciled to God.
If you have never been reconciled to God, have a conversation with Him right now! Admit to Him that you have broken His rules for life (sin), and this has created a difference between you and a holy God. Tell Him that you believe that Jesus can cover this difference through His sacrificial death. Ask Him to apply that correction to your account so that you can be reconciled with Him. Thank Him for making this permanent adjustment to your spiritual account.
The reconciliation process does not end with Jesus Christ, however. Once you have been reconciled, He has called you into a ministry of reconciliation which is helping others understand what Jesus Christ can do for them. But there is something that can get in the way of you fulfilling this call. Feelings of greater-than or less-than can lead to all sorts of destructive emotions like depression, anger, bitterness, and anxiety that prevent personal reconciliation with others and prevent your ability to share what Christ has done.
Being reconciled to others is instrumental in you being able to share the ministry of reconciliation. You cannot approach someone with a greater-than or a less-than attitude and have any credibility to share the gospel.
Do you ever feel less-than when you compare yourself to others? Comparing yourself to another person is dangerous and will result in a combination of wrong conclusions and motivations. For example, comparing yourself to others could pull you into the “I wish” syndrome and believing that God did not bless you like He has blessed others.
Proverbs 28:21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
Wishing you were like someone else is discrediting God for what He has done in your life. You are in essence saying that God has not done enough for you. You are not less-than in God’s eyes. When you feel less-than, you naturally will not have the boldness needed to share the ministry of reconciliation with this person. You will not feel that you have any right to share the gospel with them. The feeling of less-than creates a barrier to you fulfilling your calling. You are loved. He has blessed you with your talents and skills. Own what God has given you. Enhance the talents that God has given you and shed the less-than pout and spread the ministry of reconciliation.
What about feeling greater-than? How does this perspective get in the way of fulfilling your ministry of reconciliation? This also comes with great pitfalls and poor behavior.
Proverbs 28:25 He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.
A proud heart will feel justified in being indignant and arrogant toward others. This stirs up strife. I observed a situation where a woman believed that a friend had done wrong against her. In this finding, she quickly developed a greater-than attitude. She felt justified in being rude and hateful toward this other woman. It created great strife and destroyed relationships. It all stemmed from her greater-than attitude.
Psalm 101:5 Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer.
| Don’t be puffed up with greater-than arrogance, drop the less-than pout and reconcile with others. Reconcile with Jesus. |
Jephthah, in Judges 11 and 12, has been fighting his whole life a greater-than attitude from his brethren. Being the son of a harlot, his half-brothers felt greater-than him and threw him out of the home saying, “Thou shalt not inherit in our father’s house; for thou art the son of a strange woman.” (Judges 11:2) A greater-than disposition might feel very justified especially when the actions of the other person violate your expectations or standards. But that feeling of greater-than will ultimately alienate others from your life. This works in direct conflict with the charge Christ has given you and charged you with the ministry of reconciliation. It is impossible to fulfill this ministry with a great-than attitude.
In relationships with other people, feelings of great-than or less-than will stand in the way of reconciliation. Through Christ, you are reconciled to God. Don’t be puffed up with greater-than arrogance, drop the less-than pout and reconcile with others so that you can spread the ministry of reconciliation of Christ.
Related Bible Passages:
Judges 11
Psalms 101
Proverbs 28
2 Corinthians 5
Have a face to face conversation with your Lord:
Lord, when have I felt greater-than?
Lord, when have I felt less-than?
Lord, when did I become reconciled to you?
Lord, thank you for reconciling me to you. This is something that I could not do for myself. Please help me to spread the message of reconciliation to others.
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