When truth and coincidence meet by Gary Rose

I remember from past studies that the Jews believed that each letter in the Hebrew alphabet had a meaning associated with it beyond just the sound of the letter. They attached a special numerical importance with each letter and word looked for a message beyond the obvious literal meaning of God’s word. After all, God wrote the ten commandments himself (Exo. 31:18; Deut 9:10). The Jews insight into Scripture seems quite reasonable since God is far beyond us in all aspects of his being. God says through the prophet Isaiah in chapter 55: 

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh.
  ⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways,
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Knowing these things, I was interested in the possible coincidence on that white board.

As I considered the relationships between knowledge, hard work and attitude, I thought of the apostle Paul. In his letter to the Galatian assemblies, Paul writes...

Galatians 1 ( World English Bible )

 ¹¹ But I make known to you, brothers, concerning the Good News which was preached by me, that it is not according to man.  ¹² For neither did I receive it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came to me through revelation of Jesus Christ.  ¹³ For you have heard of my way of living in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the assembly of God, and ravaged it.  ¹⁴ I advanced in the Jews’ religion beyond many of my own age among my countrymen, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 

Paul, an educated man who was conversant in several languages and thoroughly versed in The Hebrew Bible and all the customs and teachings of the Jews didn’t sit in a “high tower”, he did the most difficult work I can think of – he was an evangelist for the Gospel of Christ. He interacted with probably tens of thousands of people (my guess) and worked to help them not only to become Christians,but to mature as well. And yet, throughout his career, he maintained a humble spirit which we should all emulate.

To me, Paul’s attitude was more important than all his education or even his hard work. So, is the message of the white board coincidence or not? For me, the answer is a resounding NO! 

Why?

Mark chapter 12…

  ²⁹  Jesus answered, “The greatest is, ‘Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one:   ³⁰  you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength." This is the first commandment.   ³¹  The second is like this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” 

Remember, LOVE has nothing to do with math- it comes from the attitude within ones heart.