The Humble Path of the Three C’s

By:  Dale Weckbacher

Text:  Joel 1:13-20

Joel 1:13

Put on sackcloth and lament, O priests;
    wail, O ministers of the altar.
Go in, pass the night in sackcloth,
    O ministers of my God!
Because grain offering and drink offering
    are withheld from the house of your God.

(ESV)

In Ohio, there is a highway connecting the cities of Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati known by those living there as the three C’s highway.  This highway makes it possible for one to traverse the entire state of Ohio from north to south in a few hours.  Likewise, there is a highway of humility in Christ that connects the three C’s of courage, confidence, and contentment in the life of a Christian.  The onramp to this highway is repentance, something unfortunately absent in the teaching of many churches today.  Joel 1:13-20 is a call to Israel and all people of God to take the repentance onramp to a life of courage, confidence, and contentment in Christ. 

In the Beatitudes, Jesus said the meek would inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5) with Proverbs 16:18 reminding us that pride precedes a fall.  Jesus also taught that the path to following Him required one denying themselves and taking up their cross and following Him (Luke 9:23).  Biblical humility is not one believing they have no value but instead one acknowledging their need for Christ through denial of their own ambitions and a willingness to suffer persecution symbolized by taking up the cross to follow Christ.  Joel’s call to repentance precedes Jesus death on the cross but is similar as it tells people to repent of sin and live in obedience to God.  This is the onramp of humility leading to a life of courage, confidence, and contentment. 

1)      Courage (Joshua 1:9) – Biblical courage is not the absence of fear in one’s life but a mastery of fear knowing that the Lord God is with us wherever we go.  Since fear is not of God (2 Timothy 1:7), and since God is with us wherever we go, we must turn to God for comfort and strength when fear comes upon us.  However, when fear of calamity is due to sin in one’s life, the path to courage and mastery of fear requires repentance.  Joshua encountered this during Israel’s claiming of the Promised Land at Ai (Joshua 7-8).  Maintaining courage requires staying on the highway of humility and avoiding the offramps of sin.  However, if one takes an offramp, they can re-enter the highway through repentance and confession of sin (1 John 1:9).

2)      Confidence (Philippians 4:13) – The Apostle Paul is in prison where it seems he cannot do anything to advance the spreading of the Gospel, but from this situation, he writes about being able to do all things (Philippians 4:13).  Had he left it at being able to do all things without adding through Christ who strengthens him, we might believe he has lost his mind due to being in prison.  This passage illustrates the confidence of the Apostle Paul did not come from confidence in his abilities but instead confidence in Christ.  Confidence on the highway of humility comes through the surrender of one’s life to Christ and His will for their lives.  After his encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19), the apostle Paul’s life purpose changed from the persecution of Christians to spreading the Gospel and making disciples (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).  Paul also understood there would be persecution since he was once a persecutor but had confidence that no amount of persecution would prevent the spread of the Gospel for he had the power of the risen Lord within him (Romans 8:11). 

3)      Contentment (Isaiah 26:3) – Life as a Christian is not easy but comes with trials and persecution, something Jesus warned us of (John 16:33).  However, the Apostle Paul wrote of finding contentment in both good and bad times (Philippians 4:11-13).  This level of contentment goes beyond one just being happy through to having courage and confidence in one’s relationship with Christ.  However, without entering the highway of humility through repentance, the achievement of this level of contentment is not possible.  Entering this highway to courage, confidence, and contentment begins with one surrendering their life to Jesus as Savior.  If you have not previously done so, I invite you to pray with me now,

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, was buried, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

Modern secular culture promotes one finding confidence through their abilities and application of these abilities in their life.  To do this one must find courage through conquering fear by speaking positively in their lives.  The myth is that this will bring contentment with on able to live a life free from struggle.  This sounds good and brings comfort to our souls and why this is the mantra in many churches today.  However, this goes against the words of Christ in John 16:33 and also means the Apostle Paul who, spent many days imprisoned and persecuted for his faith, must have lacked the courage and confidence to overcome his struggles. 

Christians, however, are not to adhere to the philosophies of secular culture and instead, find their courage, confidence, and contentment through humbly coming to God with a heart of repentance.  I invite all reading this to take the onramp of humble repentance to the three C’s highway of Godly courage, confidence, and contentment.  I also encourage everyone reading this to point others to the benefits of taking this journey through sharing this post.  May God bless all reading this.