“But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:9.

It is essential to understand where you are to figure out how you can get to your destination. If navigation does not discover where you are, it won’t help you to get to your destination. It all begins with an understanding of where you are. Before you make a financial goal, you should have an understanding of where you are financially today. Before you make your health goal, you should at least understand your weights, heights and some other necessary information.

A pretty good understanding of where you are is a pre-requisite to reach your goal or destination. In our today’s insight, the Lord God came to the garden of Eden after Adam and Eve sinned against God and asked the question: Adam, where are you? Not because God did not know where he was. However, the Lord wanted Adam to have a grasp about his lost condition. Was he happy now after the incident? Alternatively, was he hurt and feel bad now? How did he feel?

All of us have a nature of pride. Often we think we are better than others. We know Adam passed the buck to Eve. Eve passed the buck to the serpent. You see, we want to impress others and even God and show how good we are and how bad they are, don’t we? However, the truth is this – None of us got it all together. None of us are perfect. We all have problems. The problem could be the relationship, finance, health, an area of ongoing temptation or something else.

We live in a broken world broken by the sins of our original parents- Adam and Eve-and our sins. All around us are broken including the nature we live in. Nothing works the way it was originally intended. According to Romans 8:21-22, the whole creation is groaning as in the pains of childbirth until all would be liberated from its decay into the freedom and glory in and through the savior of the whole world, Jesus Christ.

If we are transparent and willing to admit our problems, then only our life becomes a source of help and encouragement for others around us, who need help. As long as we live a pharisaical lifestyle, acting like we got it all together, we fool ourselves and fool others. However, remember we can deceive others for a while, but we can never fool God who knows it all anyway. Not only we fool others, but also we try to keep the people who have problems at arm’s length. All these ungodly and pharisaic attitudes that the Lord hates. Then we believe we are in the center of His will. How evil our heart becomes!

Secondly, unless we know who we are and admit our problems, weaknesses, and failures to one another and God, spiritual growth becomes impossible. We remain as babes in Christ, although by this time we would be teachers having more wisdom and understanding. Thirdly, God is not going to use us for His glory as long as we try to fool others with our “I am better than you” mindset and keep people at arm’s length. We may be able to do many things for our glory and name but not for God’s glory and name. If we don’t bring glory to God the results would be the works of woods, hay, and straw. Such works would not stand when tested through the fire. It all will be burned and no reward would be the final result. (1 Corinthians 3:12).

Beloved, the wall that becomes a resistant barrier is a wrong estimation about ourselves that could very well result in pride, arrogance and keeping people at arm’s length. Only a humble and lowly mind ready to see, admit and correct the imperfections in life can grow triumphantly and shine brilliantly.

Beloved, aren’t you glad that God sent His son, Jesus Christ, into this world for our imperfections, failures, and sins and renewing and reconciling to Himself the whole world through Him (Christ)? Yes, I am delighted! We all need humility to accept our dire need for the savior and go to Him for rescue, help, and reconciliation. Bible says in Psalm 136:23., “God remembered us in our low estate because of his loving kindness.” Indeed, He did! Christ died for us when we were helpless, sinners and enemies to Him. (Romans 5:6-10). He came, lived on this earth, went to the cross, and paid for all our sins and failures.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I pray to forgive my pride and arrogance. I pray to forgive me because I kept people whom you love at arm’s length with my foolish estimate about you and your word. I admit my sin of pride. I confess my sins of mistreating others who are made in your image. Fashion your heart in me, Lord. First of all, help me to have an honest evaluation of myself and how imperfect I am so that I can help others sincerely and reach out to them with your love and compassion. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”