Nobody Is Too Established to Answer

Thy terribleness hath deceived thee, and the pride of thine heart.

Jeremiah 49:16

Read Jeremiah 46 through 49. Focus on Jeremiah 46:25 through 28, 48:29 through 36, and 49:16. A person has held the position for years. Their name opens doors. People lower their voices when they enter the room. Eventually, the authority surrounding them can make even a reasonable question feel improper. Being established begins to look like being beyond examination. Jeremiah's messages to the nations dismantle that assumption on a much larger scale. Egypt, the Philistines, Moab, Ammon, Edom, Damascus, Kedar and Hazor, and Elam all appear within these chapters. Their power, wealth, defenses, and traditions do not place them beyond God's judgment. Egypt's strength cannot secure those who trust in it. Moab's pride is exposed. Edom's intimidating position and confidence in its heights cannot make it untouchable. What a people regards as the foundation of permanent security may also help conceal its vulnerability. These are prophetic messages concerning ancient nations. We should not turn them into a simple set of labels for current countries, political opponents, or personal enemies. Their first task is to make us take God's authority seriously beyond the boundaries of Judah. The chapters also contain grief and surprising notes of future restoration. The message concerning Moab includes mourning over its losses. Promises of restoration appear for Moab, Ammon, and Elam. The God who judges is not portrayed as a local deity concerned only with one people's interests. That breadth should restrain our satisfaction when another group falls. Human suffering does not become insignificant because it happens outside our own community. We can affirm accountability without treating devastated lives as entertainment. For everyday life, the question is how we handle the protection that comes with position. Success may make it easier to avoid correction. Familiarity may persuade us that a sound procedure is unnecessary. A respected history may become the reason nobody checks what is happening now. We need people and practices that keep us answerable. Clear records, fair questions, and independent judgment protect more than a reputation. They protect the people affected by our choices, including us. Consider the area in which you feel most established. Are you still willing to be examined there? Experience can produce wisdom, but it cannot make anyone incapable of error. The place where we feel safest from questions may be the place where humility is most urgently needed. Put It into Practice Invite a fair review of one area you usually manage without questions. Choose someone capable of noticing what familiarity may have hidden from you.

Where has your experience or reputation made you less willing to explain or examine your decisions?

Lord over every nation and household, keep position from becoming pride in me. Make me willing to answer fair questions, and compassionate toward people beyond my own circle. Teach me to value accountability before a failure demands it. Amen.