John 14:6 English Standard Version (ESV) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

We are still speaking to human nature. This seems to be one of the easiest passages to understand and is used so often that there is a tendency not to explain the spiritual aspects. We take it for granted that people will understand this clearly and do not talk about it.

It is human nature to assume everyone understands things we deem simple. This is the problem with allowing things to be left out of our conversations. It does not allow others to share their opinions that might be different.

Here is a bit of silliness to highlight that point.

What if someone sees Jesus as an obstacle to getting to know the Father and treats his training as a matter of a game of Red Rover. “Red Rover, Red Rover, send Roger right over.” The idea being that we can only make a breakthrough by aiming at the weakest points in the line. In that case one might look for weaknesses in others to succeed.

While it is silly to think that way, it has been mentioned, so now we should consider that someone might not have a perfect understanding of simple spiritual concepts.

There have been others that admit in bible studies that they “don’t get it”. When we talk to these that seek and do not find, do we take care to protect our relationship in fellowship? We cannot help anyone if we are dismissive.

We believe that the Holy Spirit is the one that reveals all truth. We should not treat others as if we are responsible for their understanding. This lesson was taught to me by a fellow that came to me a year later and said, “Now I get it.” The Holy Spirit knows best how to reveal truth at the right time.

Philippians 3:14-17 English Standard Version

¹⁴ I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. ¹⁶ Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

¹⁷ Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us.

Here Paul admits to another one of our human natures, that of attention. He not only admits it but wishes to instill in us a desire to pay attention to others.

In large gatherings we will often find that there are some within the group that gather to themselves people who just want to be close to them, to talk to them, to pay attention to them. With some of the better known and more popular there can be a long list of people waiting for an audience with celebrities.

It is our human nature to create celebrities. We look up to success and admire it. We might even imitate behaviors in order to be more like those individuals. Imitation is sincere flattery.

What is misleading about the terminology of imitate is the human nature of looking at the superficial things and not seeing the deeper and more intimate things. We do not have intimate relationships with celebrities, we might not know the inner being. It would be better understood if we looked at that comment in the context of a walk to Emmaus.

Jesus walked with two men on the walk to Emmaus and revealed Himself in the scriptures. Now these men did not recognize this was Jesus. This was their first encounter with Him after His resurrection. It was not until they invited Him to stay with them and break bread that they realized He is Christ.

Do we see Christ in others? That is the main attraction.