God Came Down

Are you familiar with the children’s story, “Jack and the Beanstalk”? This 18th century British tale highlights the magic beans that Jack trades his impoverished family’s cow for on the way to sell it at a market. These beans ended up growing into a gigantic bean plant which reached to the heavens. When Jack climbed the beanstalk he encountered a castle with a giant and his wife. Various versions of the fairytale included different endings but, in each instance, Jack saves his family from poverty by returning home with something of value.

This theme of characters finding fame or answers to life’s questions in the heavens is a recurring concept throughout literary history, including the Bible. Think of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 or Jacob’s dream of angels ascending and descending a ladder reaching down from heaven in Genesis 28. There are also such tales by ancient non-biblical writers such as the story of Icarus flying too close to the sun in an effort to escape his earthly troubles.

Even in modern times we see Hollywood producing theatrical versions of a similar notion. Movies such as Contact, Dogma or The Tree of Life come to mind, particularly the latter of the three which contains an updated version of Jack and the Beanstalk.

All of these examples point to humanity’s desire to find answers to life’s mysteries and a belief that they can be found in the “heavens.” Recently I heard a speaker break down the commonly held notion that all religions are essentially the same. Using an analogy, he described the idea that humanity has explored spiritual impulses by climbing a mountain to get to the truth which is held by a great teacher sitting at the peak. Religions simply focus on their own part of the mountain, unable to see other religions climbing, but which gets them all to the same point.

What sets Christianity apart from that analogy is that God sent his son down to help us understand how to have a relationship with him. Every other religion requires people to climb the mountain, while Jesus came down to earth to bring the answers himself, knowing that on our own, we could never make it to God.

Isn’t that a powerful truth? Jesus not only taught his disciples during his three years of ministry and teaching while on earth, he left a legacy of revelation, expanded upon through the New Testament writers, that allows us to truly understand what God desires from us. That’s amazing!

Oh God, thank you for revealing yourself to all people, past and present. Your desire is that all humanity would know and love you, and understand your deep and eternal love for them. You created us to know you and showed us how to come to you in humility, giving us the assurance that you will never turn us away.

Throughout this day: Pay attention to how many times you observe people in your circle of friends and acquaintances reference that idea that they are searching for help or truth from “above.” Don’t be afraid to tell them that you know where the answers lie.