I strongly believe that you have already seen one. A slimy, elongated, cylindrically shaped, segmented body with a generally uniform color ranging from dull pink to pale red to brown. They are usually found living in moist soil with organic materials. They burrow in soil swallowing a considerable mass of soil and digest vegetative materials while disposing the remains of the swallowed dirt.

I know how disgusting they may appear and I also know how foolish my questions may sound. However, allow me to ask these still.

• Have you loved a worm so much that you desired to be lower than human and closer to them?
• Have you loved a worm so much that you were willing to learn their language and lifestyle so that you may help them and instruct them of what to do?
• Have you loved a worm so much that you were longing to truncate your arms and legs, to remove your skeletal system, and have an elastic, slippery anatomy?
• Have you loved a worm so much that you were even absolutely cooperative to donate your heart for these creatures?

I knew no one who had. If there had been one, he should have been insane. Yet, I know someone who did worse and who is not insane.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Phil. 2:5-8)

Here, Paul was urging the Philippians to be truly united by being truly humble. And the ultimate example of utmost humility is Christ Himself who took at least seven scandalous quantum leaps in the incarnation and crucifixion.

The Initial Position
though he was in the form of God,

First Leap Down
did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Second Leap Down
but made himself nothing,

Third Leap Down
taking the form of a servant,

Fourth Leap Down
being born in the likeness of men.

Fifth Leap Down
And being found in human form, he humbled himself

Sixth Leap Down
by becoming obedient to the point of death,

Seventh Leap Down
even death on a cross.

This is a scandal. We should realize this scandal. This is worse than the scandal of a man desiring to be a worm. The distance between GOD and man is infinitely farther than the distance between man and worms. In the world of purity and holiness, GOD is infinitely more glorious than man and man is infinitely more disgusting than worms. Yet, GOD became a man.

I believe I can communicate the scandal I am referring to by this tale. May the readers believe me when I say that I am writing this with all reverence and trembling. I do. I do. I have decided to create a picture of a Pauline worm writing to a bunch of worms about their man-worm hero. And he writes,

"Have this attitude among yourselves, which you have seen in the man-worm hero, who, though he was in the form of man, did not count equality with men a thing to be grasped, but made himself bare of human privileges, taking the form of a servant of worms, being born in the likeness of worms. And being found in worm form, he became a humble worm completely different from other worms by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death of the worst criminal among worms."

If no one have loved a worm that much, then GOD's love must be beyond any human's understanding.





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Last Friday, July 17, I was invited by the youth fellowship of San Carlos City - United Methodist Church (to which I used to belong before accepting to pastor Dorongan-Punta UMC) to give a short talk in one of their activities which they call Com-Com (Communicating to the Saints My Communion with God).Their theme was "My Need of Poverty" which aims to confront a materialistic lifestyle and promote a simplicity of living. It is based on Proverbs 30:7-9:
Randy Alcorn, in his book The Treasure Principle, reveals that the number of Bible verses committed to money and possessions (2,350 verses) is larger than the verses on prayer and faith combined, larger than the number of verses about heaven and hell. Most probably, this is because there is an intimate connection between our attitude towards money and our true spiritual condition. Therefore, my message was "Money as a Great Spiritual Health Evaluator" and the following were my main points:

1. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are wise or foolish (Luke 12:16-21).
2. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are confident or uncertain of our message (Heb. 13:5-6).
3. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are thankful or not (Ecc. 5:10)
4. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are truly repentant or not (Luke 3:11-14).
5. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are having lasting or shallow joy (Phil. 4:10-14).
6. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are saved or not (Luke 19:8-10).
7. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are obedient or disobedient (Matt. 19:16-23).
8. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are serious or not on godliness (1 Tim. 6:6-10).
9. Our attitude towards money and earthly treasures reflects whether we are maintaining GOD as our single passion or not (Matt. 6:19-21).

John Piper has also written an interesting chapter, Money: The Currency of Christian Hedonism, in his book Desiring God.

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