Jesus Healing Ten Lepers by Wierix (1596)
In the 17th Chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Luke relates the story of Jesus healing ten lepers. They all — ecstatic at their good fortune — run off to the Temple to be declared clean by the priests and thus redeemed back into society. One of the ten turns back and goes to thank Jesus for healing him. Here’s the relevant part:
15 Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, 16 and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But the nine–where are they? 18 “Was no one found who returned to give glory to God, except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Stand up and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:15-19 NAS)
Regardless of what you think or believe about Jesus he unequivocally and consistently claimed to be God and never failed to accept worship and glorification whenever it was offered. Why? Because it was in his nature and character to be glorified. In other words he DESERVED it — he thought he deserved worship so he willingly accepted it. Some of us think he was right to think so and some think Him a fool. Whatever — it was no doubt in his character to do so. Notice there is no humility in the above passage — feigned or otherwise. he doesn’t say “It was nothing really.” or “No problem”. He thinks He deserves it, he knows He deserves the praise — worship — and he accepts it without batting an eyelash. Jesus accepted worship because of who He was (is — you know what I mean) though what he did often triggered the initial response of gratitude. He also received worship when he did very little that was apparent on the outside (Mary anointing Jesus’ feet at Bethany or the thief on the cross for example) — revealing his nature and character. There is a reason God’s name is “I AM WHO I AM.”
I realize in the grand scheme of things the Nobel Peace Prize is not that important. Obama’s victory in this contest is laughable on a few different levels of course. We are however — in the words of our president — in a “teachable moment”. His response to this Nobel Peace Prize dilemma will be telling. In a very real sense of course he did nothing to get the award — meaning it’s not his fault they decided to award him the prize and I don’t think he asked for or lobbied for it. His response, however, will tell us volumes about how he views himself. I don’t expect him to turn it down — I’m not sure I would either under the circumstances.
Will he accept it without blanching and even justify the award? If he does so then he reveals to us that he thinks he deserves it because of WHO he is not WHAT he has done. Almost like — without trying to psychoanalyze too much — he would have a god complex. Or will he accept it humbly and use it as an opportunity to lift up others who are more deserving or as a bully pulpit to help bring peace to Iran, Honduras, et al.? I fear I know the answer, but I’m optimistic enough to hope for the latter response. It’s somehow fitting in this age where self is god that the so-called leader of the free world would worship his own “self”.
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At the risk of calling down the lightning on me, his iniial response seems humble.
“I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many transformative figures that have been honored by this prize.” I couldn’t agree more and at least he is giving the prize money to charity.
That said, remarking the award as a “call to action”. Is not something I want to hear from my President. “Thank you.” “I’m humbled.” That’s fine, he should not be caring one whit what those yahoos from Oslo think.
I’m fine with humble… Humble doesn’t mean weenie if done right. I wouldn’t give the award back either, but there will be a good way and a bad way to accept the award. Disdain might be a good response actually. Is he POTUS or President of the world?
Interesting that this is the very day Andrew Klavan released a video on the subject, “Is Obama Jesus?” http://pajamasmedia.com/andrewklavan/2009/10/08/is-obama-jesus/
He is Jesus. No, He is Greater than Jesus. He is the Word made Flesh.
All praise He who is called The One
I’m also interested to see what his speech writers tell him to say. I have to imagine they will lick their fingers and see which way the wind is blowing and go whichever way the poll numbers suggest is most prudent.
Obama has a god complex..surely you jest…no…..
If I were in his shoes I would not accept the prize. I would say something like, “While I am honored to know the committee finds many of my goals laudable I have yet to achieve what I set out to do, and that, ultimately, will be the true indicator of the worth of those ideals. There are others who have recently made great strides to bring peace to the World, others like… I hope the committee takes no offense at my refusal to accept this very important award, but I believe there are others who deserve it more.”
Regarding Floyd’s post, my mother believes in humility above all. She raised me to never accept any gift, compliment, help… If one of my grandparents gave me a quarter to buy an ice cream she would make me try to return it, “No, grandpa, you shouldn’t do this…” It was that way with everything. One day my father pulled me aside and said, “You’re insulting your grandfather. He worked on the railroad over 40 years to earn his money and he wants to use it to buy you an ice cream cone. You’re his grandson and buying you an ice cream makes him happy. Take the quarter, thank him and buy an ice cream cone and enjoy it.” That made sense to me and from then on I got much better about accepting gifts.
When I was a teen I still couldn’t accept compliments. Someone would say I did a great job in a football game… “Oh, the line did such a good job opening holes you could drive a truck through them. I was just the guy who happened to be carrying the ball, etc…” Someone would say a girl thought I was cute… “Oh, she’s just saying that to be nice. She probably really wants to date so and so, etc…” Then I read an article from Ann Landers about about how to accept compliments. She said a simple “thank you” is almost always best. Don’t make the person feel dumb or wrong for stating the compliment. They believe what they said. Thank them for taking the time to say it.
In this Bible passage I see Jesus doing the same. As you write, Floyd, “I am who (that) I am.” Or, as we Catholics pray, “it is right to give Him thanks and praise.”
I once had an expert in child rearing advise me that I should not tell my kids they have made me proud. His point was that kids should do things for their own, or others’ benefit, but not be motivated by making their parents proud. I saw his point, but I still do it. My theory is kids are sometimes motivated by making their parents proud and I am not embarrassed to tell them when they make me proud. Also, there are times when they flat out impress me as human beings, beyond being my children. There are times when they do things that are exceptional and I’m not shy about letting them know, “Hey, that piano piece you played, that was really something. Even if I had lessons at your age I don’t think I could have achieved that.” “Hey, that was great when you told your friend that she shouldn’t disobey her mother. When I was your age I don’t think I would have had the courage to say that to a friend, and that’s a real sign of friendship…” “Wow! I can’t even understand how you could draw a cartoon like that. I can barely draw a stickman! That is wonderful!”
I don’t overdo it. If my kid does something a normal kid his or her age should do, or he or she is pulling their weight in the family he or she will not get praise from me; that’s just what you do. But, I do take time to praise the exceptional. And when they get a dollar from their grandpa to buy ice cream I tell them their grandpa worked hard for 30 years as a security guard so one day he’d have money to buy his grandkids ice cream and they ought to thank him and run and buy an ice cream cone and enjoy it!
Great post, Rufus. I also like your commentary on telling your kids of your pride in them as needed. Trying to make my parents proud of me is still a great motivator in my life even at way past childhood age of 41. I want them to be proud and feel that their sacrifices for me were/are worthwhile. One of the most powerful things my parents could say to me as I was growing up was “I’m disappointed in you.”
As for Obama: it’s sad to say but he may be the ultimate example of all that can be profoundly wrong with Affirmative Action. Yes, Obama is the Affirmative Action President/Nobel Peace Prize recipient. There, I said it. Let the accusations of hate and racism fly.
Rufus I couldn’t agree more on what Obama’s response to the award should have been. That would have probably garnered him a lot of respect even from his detractors.
Veruckt, as I wrote earlier, it is truly laughable that they gave him the award. No matter your opinion of the man and his ideas one cannot make any argument that he has accomplished anything remotely rising to the level of their claim. Maybe he will, but it simply has not happened yet. It is literally like awarding a football team the Vince Lombardi trophy because you believe their coach has the best strategy at the beginning of the season. Maybe he does, and maybe he’ll execute that strategy, and maybe no one will get injured, and, and… But the team has not won the Super Bowl. President Obama should not insult the Nobel prize committee, and it would be good to be deferential, but this is simply incorrect, a mistake, and as a clear thinking individual he should not be shy or embarrassed about pointing that out.
If he really had any guts, when he appears in Oslo he’ll castigate the committee for what they’ve done. Say something like how they failed to honor more worthy people who’ve worked far longer and harder than he ever has, that they’ve turned what should be a great honor into a cheap political gimmick, and possibly even set back the cause they champion. And then refuse it and walk out. (Not that I believe any of that, but I’m trying to think like a politician in a bind.)
But we all know the speech He’ll make will have at least one first person pronoun in every other sentence.
Perhaps he should ponder the fact that he is now in the company of Martin Luther King…that should make him feel a bit unworthy.