Camel Rides

No, Jesus was not American. He lived in the Middle East, where seeing a camel was not an unusual. Surprisingly, this trips up many Americans. We often let our nationalistic or religious pride get in the way of our understanding of God. 

Common Misconceptions

There are many common beliefs that Christians get tripped up on. Here’s one, “God helps those who help themselves.” It is one of the most often quoted phrase that is not found in the Bible. Ben Franklin first printed this saying in Poor Richard’s Almanac in 1757. 

In some practical ways, the concept “God helps those who help themselves” is helpful. God is faithful; He expects faithfulness. 

Some of us fall into the trap of inactivity. We ask God for help, but then expect God to do everything himself. Our excuse is that God will provide according to his will and in his timing. We use God as an excuse for our inactivity. A better approach would be, if you are in need of a job, ask the Lord to help you and then be active in actually looking for a job. While it is in God’s power to do so, my experience is that God will not cause employers to come looking for you.

Just Like Our Father

Jesus explained that the motivation for loving others and doing good was not to get something out of it. The reason we should treat others with love is because we are to be just like our Heavenly Father, who shows love even to those who are ungrateful (Luke 6:35-36). Jesus said that it is no big deal to show love to those whom love you. It is no big deal to give to others when you expect that you will be paid back. Think about it, this is the attitude of the mafia, politicians, and everyone else in the world. If we live in this way, we are not standing apart from the world—we are just like the world.

People often say to me, “You are just like your dad.” Indeed, it is easy to see the family resemblance. I’m proud to be like my dad.

No Camel, No Worries

We should have a desire to show a family resemblance. No camel, no worries. People should be able to look at the way we act and the way that we live and say, “there is no denying that you are a child of God.” This doesn’t come naturally, so we have to make an effort. We’ll need to ask God for help to demonstrate Godly character, even when we don’t feel like it.

No, Jesus was not an American. So, most of us don’t likely look much like him. But, the family resemblance should be easily seen in our character. Maybe, you’ve never ridden a camel, but the way you live can reflect that you are a child of God.

Copyright © 2023 Chuck Locklear

If you like Camel Rides, you might also like Victorious Living.