Pride, Rebellion and Hyssop Branches—By Rebecca
Have you heard of hyssop before? I didn’t think I had heard of it until I was at a friend’s wedding and she had scripture references that mentioned hyssop and gave away hyssop seeds. Turns out I have heard of it before but didn’t remember it. Hyssop is a plant that has small, pretty flowers. My hyssop plants have been bluish and purplish but apparently it can produce pink or white ones as well. It is a perennial plant that grows quite well here. I planted my hyssop seeds several years ago and the main plant had grown big and unruly, so last year I cut it back to basically nothing—I wasn’t sure it was going to grow back, but now that spring has come, and summer is almost here—the plant is growing back and it looks so nice and healthy.
We will come back to hyssop and why it’s worth discussing but I want to talk about pride and rebellion first. I’ve experienced some desire toward rebelling in my life, not big drastic rebellion but tensions towards rebelling and I’m sure there has been some subtle back drop of it more often than I realize, but recently I had a strong desire to rebel that I haven’t experienced before. I was in a situation that I have experience in but felt like I was being treated like I have no experience. I felt like I was being micro-managed and “picked on” with everything I did. I already had a bunch of tension built up inside because of the ongoing feelings I had and stress in life—and then I was called out abruptly in front of a group and asked to do something that to me seemed ridiculous and not possible because of the situation we were in. Oh, did the pride rise up!! I wanted to go against everything this person was telling me to do! I said I would take care of the problem…but I didn’t because my solution didn’t work! But that just made me want to hold onto what I had and my way even more. I was so upset; I was almost in tears. Finally, while the person wasn’t looking, I took care of what I was asked to take care of—but I sure didn’t want to, and I sure didn’t want this person to see! Why did this cause my pride to swell up so much? Because I didn’t like being pointed out in front of everyone and feeling like I was a little kid who knew nothing. I didn’t like to be told what I was doing was wrong, BUT the truth was that I didn’t know how to do all the things the way it needed to be done—so I did need instruction and reminders—I needed to lay down my pride of being told what to do and accept it!
Pride leads to rebellion—I want to do it my way in my timing, I don’t want to be told what to do, My way, My decision, I’m in control, My, My, My, Me, Me, Me, I, I, I!!
We’ve been talking about pride in our house a lot in the last several weeks…why is that? Well, because we all deal with pride! What does pride cause? The Bible tells us that pride causes strife and conflict. Proverbs 13:10 (NLT) “Pride leads to conflict; those who take advice are wise.” The NIV says it this way “Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”
God wants us to lay down the control and the “all about me” and he wants us to give him control and make it all about him. If we are so busy trying to control and make it all about us, how do we love others well? How do we glorify him? He laid it all down for us—he didn’t consider himself—but he considered us.
Back to hyssop…hyssop is mentioned 12 times in the Bible. Hyssop is used in the Bible during cleansing and purification. It is first mentioned in Exodus 12:22—where they take the hyssop branch and dip it into the blood of the Passover animal and brush it across the door frame so that the Lord will Passover their homes and not cause death. It is mentioned several times in Leviticus during purification, cleansing—often with a scarlet thread. Numbers 19:18 the hyssop branch is used to sprinkle water in effort to have cleansing after defilement. A hyssop branch was also used when Jesus was hanging on the cross to raise up a sponge of sour wine to Jesus. John 19: 28-30 “Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head an gave up his spirit.” Hyssop points to needing a savior. Hyssop points to needing cleansed. Hyssop points to being purified. Hyssop points to giving of life. Jesus is our savior, Jesus cleanses and purifies us, Jesus gave his life for us so that we can be clean and purified. He did not hold his pride—he gave it up-his life for ours. This is the example we are given, so that we can follow. This is who we are to be. We shouldn’t be rebelling because we want it our way in our timing. We must first give our life to Jesus to follow what he has for us—allowing him to control it then we follow him into laying down our life—not holding onto our pride but being willing to sacrifice for the sake of others and for following Jesus. The trimming back and pruning of the unruly parts of our life is painful, but needed and allows for new fresh healthy growth—like my hyssop plant that will be so much better now that I trimmed it back.
Plant some hyssop in your yard this year and as you watch it grow, think about the sacrifice Jesus made for you and what he offers you—then think about how you are responding to him and finally how are you responding to others? Are you holding onto me, me, me, my, my, my, I, I, I?