Why us? Part 1

Posted : Tuesday August 7, 2007 |

In my house, there were some movies that mom insisted that we watch once a year. One of those movies was the Sound of Music. There was one scene that I remember. Maria is a young lady who serves in a Captain’s house as a nanny for his seven children. As the movie progresses, she and the Captain fall in love. Neither of them wants to admit it, but soon the Captain reveals his love to Maria and they embrace. She is so overwhelmed with the fact that something so good could ever have happened to her that she says, “Nothing comes from nothing. Nothing ever could. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must have done something good.”

In that one line, Maria expresses a natural tendency in human relationships. There is something about us that leads us to think that if someone likes us or does something nice for us, then it must have been because of something we did. Isn’t it true that when you go on a date? You tend to dress in a way that will appeal to your date? You tend to look your best, speak your best, and act your best. You put your best foot forward. And if you wind up going on a second or third date, you go home thinking, “I must have done something good.”

We even think this way in our relationship with God. Why does he bless us? In our hearts, we are quick to say, “Because I….” Now finish your sentence. Anyway you end it, it comes back to Maria’s theology: “I must have done something good” We live as if God’s dealing with us is based on our performance. We know that salvation is by grace, but we believe that there was something in us that merited God’s attention. After all, if there is nothing in us at all to merit God’s blessings, then why would God choose to save us? Why would he bless us?

This is the question that the children of Israel were going to wrestle with. They knew that they had been saved by God’s mercy. They knew that God had promised to give them a nice piece of real estate—furnished houses, gardens, and towns. And they also knew that God had plagued Egypt to save them and that he was going to destroy seven other nations so that they could possess the land. So naturally, the question comes up, “Why is God doing this for us?” Why did God choose us? And how does Israel answer that question?

First, they looked to their importance. They looked at their size and thought, “Surely God is with the greatest and strongest.” Let’s call this the self-esteem idea. You’ve probably heard it said, “God wanted to show you how important and special you are, and that’s why Jesus died for you.” It’s the idea that Robert Schuller puts out, “Believe in the God who believes in you.”

But how does the Bible respond to this idea? Deuteronomy 7:7 tells us, “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.” In other words, God didn’t look at you and say, “She’s a pretty important person in the world. Maybe I’ll save her.” Your race had nothing to do with it. He didn’t save you because you had prestige or significance. Truth be told, you’re pretty insignificant. You’re not the most important person.

You can’t look at yourself and say, “God is really lucky to have me on his team.” The truth is, you’re not really that great. “Gee, thanks for damaging my self-esteem.” You’re welcome.

So the Israelites looked to their power and might. Surely God helps those who help themselves, right? Let’s call this the self-reliance idea. “God knew that we were going to believe in him and that we were going to work real hard. He saw that we would be very productive with the gifts he’d give to us, so that is why he chose us.” “You might say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’” The reason I’m so well off spiritually is because I worked hard at being a good Christian.

But what does the Bible say? Deuteronomy 8:18, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.” In other words, you couldn’t do a single thing if it wasn’t for God. Who do you think really gave you that job, that mind, that skill?

Over and over again, the Bible reminds us that self-reliance is a delusion. There is no one who can work hard enough to ever get God to like them or to bless them. Even if you did your best, you’d still be an unprofitable servant. The truth is, you’re not an asset.

Ok, so I’m insignificant and I’m unproductive. So the Israelites looked to one more thing. They saw the evil in the land. So maybe the reason God saved them was because they were morally superior. “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” Let’s call this the self-righteousness idea. We must be such nice people. After all, we’re not like those horrible pagans in the culture.

But here again, Moses shatters this delusion in 9:6, “Understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.” Moses goes on to show them that God is not giving the land to a righteous nation, but to a people who are arrogant, rebellious, provocative, corrupt, idolatrous, sinful, evil, unbelieving, disobedient, and wicked: ten characteristics that are hardly the marks of a righteous community.

The same is true for us. Don’t ever think that you somehow had an advantage over anyone else, because you didn’t.

By the time we’re finished, we’re left with this conclusion: the source of God’s blessing is not to be found in us. There was nothing in your youth or childhood that was good. For all intents and purposes, we are the kind of people that God in his justice would overlook.

So why would God chose to love us? We’ll look at that next week!

Pastor Suler Acosta