We can know our humility by knowing what we can bear and what we must give to Jesus to bear for us. We can know our humility by knowing what seductions are to much for us to bear alone. In the Lord of the Rings trilogy there is a character named Gollum. He was once a ordinary hobbit named Smeagol until he came upon a ring discovered by his cousin while fishing. He instantly desired to have the ring as his own. His pride turned him into a covetous murderous fool that kept the ring even though it alienated him from his family and ultimately would destroy him. He refused to humble himself and admit the ring was more than he could bear. He liked the power that it gave it. It consumed him. Ever had something besides Jesus consume you?

My fervent desire to be a church planter was not unlike that lust for power that consumed Gollum. Thankfully it didn’t consume me but it tried. In that same trilogy there is a scene where another hobbit Frodo is going up the mountain to destroy the ring. He becomes too weak under its power and his friend Sam picks up Frodo and carries him up the mountain. Frodo alone once at the mountain had to destroy the ring by throwing it in to a river of fire. As he is about to throw it in the lake of fire he decides he can master it and puts it on his ring finger. Thankfully for his soul, Gollum emerges and a struggle ensues. Gollum bites Frodo’s finger off and ends up toppling into the fire nearly taking Frodo with him. Ever faithful Sam pulls Frodo up and rescues him from the flames. Gollum with Frodo’s ring finger in hand falls into the fire. He rips the ring off and holds up the ring as his body is slowly consumed by a all consuming flame. Golum’s life ends with a persevere look of joy on his face as the fire consumes him. Frodo is spared only because his idol was ripped from his hand. He was saved only by the faithfulness of one who did not succumb to the temptation.

My friend was Jesus who carried me up my hill. Jesus knows all about going up hills for us. Just think of Golgatha. Like Frodo it took my friend cutting off my proverbial ring finger before I could go forward. I had to sacrifice my desire and needed Jesus strength to sacrifice my desires to plant a church in my own image. My desire was the chief problem. It was a problem because it wasn’t giving glorify to God alone. It wasn’t about him and it wasn’t walking with him. It was a idol that I justified in the name of serving God just like those money changers and religious people in the temple during Jesus day justified their activity in the name of God.

God reveals a secret about himself to us in Exodus 20:5 when he says “You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God.” God is jealous. He will take the back seat to no one’s desires. We often forget this. We often treat God like he is okay being in the backseat of our lives. We are often okay with God not being our lone heart’s desire. We aren’t humble before him and willing to confess our heart is a idol factory that needs renovation only possible by Jesus. Do you ever asks yourself how humble you are? Do you ever ask God? Do you wait for him to answer? How has he answered you?

Part 4 of 5, part 5 coming Thursday at 12:01 A.M. E.S.T.