“He’s a mile wide and an inch deep,” somebody said, when describing a man with
interests ranging from music, to philosophy, to motorcycles, to technological
gadgets, to God, … and the list goes on. He dabbles in many things but never
gets past the surface, never really digs in to become an expert. Are you a dabbler or a person of depth? Chuck Swindoll, pastor and author, writes: "What we need today is not smarter people or busier people. A far
greater need is deeper people. Deep
people will always have a ministry." Sounds good.
What's it mean?
Is depth the same as sincerity or seriousness? Those who love to laugh are often regarded as shallow, but are they? Intellectuals are assumed to have depth. But, knowing many things does not mean a person understands what those things mean. Depth is sometimes confused with performance, too. A person who carries a lot of responsibility in multiple organizations is often assumed to be a person of depth.
Depth involves taking on challenges, wrestling with solutions, and applying oneself to become a part of those solutions. And, yet, there is more to it. We can begin to understand depth by looking at its antonym – superficiality, which is the curse of the age. How many people do you know that believe success is the same as ‘image,’ that it is about staying 'interesting.' If we choose to aim at looking good, speaking well, and keeping our heads full of the latest sports scores, fashions, and headlines; we will live on the surface of life. The hard question is not what, but why. Why introduces uncertainty, makes us look at the pain – in ourselves and in our world.
Is depth the same as sincerity or seriousness? Those who love to laugh are often regarded as shallow, but are they? Intellectuals are assumed to have depth. But, knowing many things does not mean a person understands what those things mean. Depth is sometimes confused with performance, too. A person who carries a lot of responsibility in multiple organizations is often assumed to be a person of depth.
Depth involves taking on challenges, wrestling with solutions, and applying oneself to become a part of those solutions. And, yet, there is more to it. We can begin to understand depth by looking at its antonym – superficiality, which is the curse of the age. How many people do you know that believe success is the same as ‘image,’ that it is about staying 'interesting.' If we choose to aim at looking good, speaking well, and keeping our heads full of the latest sports scores, fashions, and headlines; we will live on the surface of life. The hard question is not what, but why. Why introduces uncertainty, makes us look at the pain – in ourselves and in our world.
Depth involves pursuing God's plans and purposes. They are
seldom just lying around in plain sight.
We must mine the depths of our soul and His Word to learn to conform to
His ways. While we need not forget how to laugh or play, if we desire depth, we
will learn to stop the whirl of activity, to turn off the noise, to retreat
from our schedules, and to listen. God speaks, all the time, but usually not in
thunderous tones, nor with the command voice of a general. Elijah learned that
His was a 'still, small voice.'
Then, too, depth develops when we allow life's pain to touch us. Remember Carly Simon's song "I Haven't Got Time for the Pain"? (showing my age there, aren’t I?) Mostly; we don't!
Got a headache? Take an Advil. Got a heartache? Find some anesthetic to numb it - pleasure, diversion, apathy- are some that work, for a time. Pain is not generally valued, is it? God designed us so that physical pain is the body's alarm system. Touch a hot surface and the instant sensation of pain causes you to pull your hand away before serious damage is done. Emotional pain signals a problem, too. When our heart aches, it alerts us to a need, more subtly perhaps, but a need exists nonetheless. When we let ourselves feel the pain, it will drive us to become thoughtful and hopefully, prayerful! The Spirit of God will show us how to be healed. His prescription really works.
If we desire to live deeply with God, we must learn to ‘share in His sufferings.’ The full quote says, "Since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." (Romans 8:17, NLT) When we see at the suffering that stalks our world (and us personally) because of greed, religious pride, and selfishness, through Jesus’ eyes, the pain of the resulting revelation will leave us groaning -- "Oh, God, help me!" Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, the ministry that meets people at the point of their need and cares for millions, penned this prayer on the flyleaf of his Bible when we first found himself confronted with terrible poverty. "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Out of that pain, came a vision, and from that vision, emerged a mission. God will take us deeper – if we allow Him to own us – heart, soul, mind, and strength! We will stop living for our stomachs, our bank accounts, and our public image. We will lose the pre-occupation with what we wear, eat, and drive! People will matter most.
Here’s the word from the Word. Jesus said, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. … You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat." (Matthew 5:2-4, 6, The Message)
Then, too, depth develops when we allow life's pain to touch us. Remember Carly Simon's song "I Haven't Got Time for the Pain"? (showing my age there, aren’t I?) Mostly; we don't!
Got a headache? Take an Advil. Got a heartache? Find some anesthetic to numb it - pleasure, diversion, apathy- are some that work, for a time. Pain is not generally valued, is it? God designed us so that physical pain is the body's alarm system. Touch a hot surface and the instant sensation of pain causes you to pull your hand away before serious damage is done. Emotional pain signals a problem, too. When our heart aches, it alerts us to a need, more subtly perhaps, but a need exists nonetheless. When we let ourselves feel the pain, it will drive us to become thoughtful and hopefully, prayerful! The Spirit of God will show us how to be healed. His prescription really works.
If we desire to live deeply with God, we must learn to ‘share in His sufferings.’ The full quote says, "Since we are his children, we will share his treasures—for everything God gives to his Son, Christ, is ours, too. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering." (Romans 8:17, NLT) When we see at the suffering that stalks our world (and us personally) because of greed, religious pride, and selfishness, through Jesus’ eyes, the pain of the resulting revelation will leave us groaning -- "Oh, God, help me!" Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision, the ministry that meets people at the point of their need and cares for millions, penned this prayer on the flyleaf of his Bible when we first found himself confronted with terrible poverty. "Let my heart be broken with the things that break the heart of God." Out of that pain, came a vision, and from that vision, emerged a mission. God will take us deeper – if we allow Him to own us – heart, soul, mind, and strength! We will stop living for our stomachs, our bank accounts, and our public image. We will lose the pre-occupation with what we wear, eat, and drive! People will matter most.
Here’s the word from the Word. Jesus said, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. … You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat." (Matthew 5:2-4, 6, The Message)
When you have tasted the rich food of God's table, when
you've felt the pain and experienced His succor, you are on the way to depth. And,
as Swindoll said, "Deep people will
always have a ministry." Your
life will radiate a quality so wonderful, GENUINE LOVE, that others will want
to be with you and you will have all kinds of opportunities for doing godly
work.
Go deeper - starting
today.
_______
Deeper, Deeper
Deeper, deeper, in
the love of Jesus,
Daily let me go;
Higher, higher, in
the school of wisdom,
More of grace to
know.
Deeper, deeper,
blessed Holy Spirit,
Take me deeper
still,
‘Till my life is
wholly lost in Jesus
And His perfect
will.
Deeper, higher,
ev'ry day in Jesus
‘Till all conflict
past,
Finds me conqu'ror
and in His own image
Perfected at last.
O deeper yet I
pray,
And higher ev'ry
day,
And wiser, blessed
Lord,
In Thy precious
holy Word.
Charles P. Jones
Public Domain
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