We are all jackasses. The only question is which type.

In Luke 18, Jesus told a parable about two men. A Pharisee (read: Professional Religious Jackass) stood by himself and prayed, “Thank God that I’m not like these other people.” The tax collector, who was standing nearby and was one of the objects of the Pharisee’s disdain, fell on his knees and prayed, “I’m a sinful person; God, please have mercy on me!”

This parable fits every type of jackass, but we think it’s especially poignant for the Enlightened Jackass. This is the person who used to be ignorant, used to be backward, used to be “like all those other people,” but has since learned something essential that has raised her up from her former ignorance. Now she is EnlightenedTM. She has evolved as a person and is horrified by the backwoodsness, the hillbillery, the all-but-Amishness of the people around her.

I’ll go ahead and own this one. I am currently the Enlightened Jackass. Honestly, I can’t guarantee that writing this blog isn’t a manifestation of this. For me, it’s a minute by minute effort to move from the Pharisee’s prayer (thank God I’m not like _______) to the tax collector’s prayer (have mercy on me).

I have exhibited Enlightened Jackassery over things I learned extremely recently. I remember changing my views on the right approach to reading the book of Revelation. As my view changed over the course of 3 months of in-depth study, I began to look down on the people who held the view that I had held only a few weeks previously.

(Question for myself: what the hell?)

This brand of jackassery has an inherent draw for educated people. We have learned so much. We now see so clearly. If only everyone could see what I see, could learn what I know.

“The Enlightened Jackass has evolved as a person and is horrified by the backwoodsness, the hillbillery, the all-but-Amishness of the people around her.”

The Enlightened Jackass isn’t about being conservative, progressive, or liberal, but it often characterizes those who have left conservatism behind. We see a lot of this in the “exvangelical” crowd, for example. Conservative doctrines they once adamantly defended (such as inerrancy or creationism or certain atonement theories) are now ridiculed with the air of “Can you believe what these morons are teaching?” I’m not saying every person has to be conservative. I’ve changed many of my views over the years. I’m saying that demeaning another person’s beliefs is what a jackass does. There’s a conservative type of jackass, but there’s also this. Neither looks like Jesus.

John the Baptist’s ministry was preparing the way for Jesus. His message was “make straight the way of the Lord.” What does that mean? He said that the mountains would be made low and the valleys would be raised up. John was speaking of a great leveling that would need to come if human beings were ready for Jesus’ arrival. Those who are exalted need to be humbled, and those who are humbled need to be exalted.

Throughout his ministry, Jesus was finding people who were outcast, marginalized, and condescended to. He would constantly humanize these people, whether it be a leper, an extortioner, a sinner, or (cringe) a woman. When someone was being diminished, Jesus dignified them. He raised the lowly so they were ready to encounter him.

Are you doing this? Do you lift others up? Or are you too busy in your enlightened state to treat your “opponents” with dignity?

The other side of this leveling is the reality that those who stand tall are called to humility. Every time we think we’ve arrived, we can be sure that we haven’t. In precisely that moment when we realize we’ve figured it out, precisely then we have not. These are the moments when we must be lowered so that we can have a true encounter with Jesus.

Jesus is the antithesis to every type of jackass. He’s also the solution. We need to stop comparing ourselves to everyone else and instead move closer to Jesus. He is the hope and help we all need.

Mark has been serving in pastoral roles for nearly 20 years. After a decade in various teaching and administrative roles at Eternity Bible College, Mark is a pastor at Creekside Church in Rocklin, California. His books include Resonate: Enjoying God’s Gift of Music and the New York Times bestseller Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples, which he co-authored with Francis Chan.

3 COMMENTS

  1. This blog is so. dang. good.

    I have found my people! And, I “might” be an “enlightened” jackass. I broke down lots of walls I had Jesus in last summer and with that freedom has brought a sense of “I want everyone to know this!” Thank you for helping to remind me I still need Jesus more.

    • Yes, Krystal! I love the enthusiasm. So glad you’re resonating. We’re writing to confess, lament, and to find a way forward, so you’re in good company. There’s plenty more to come. Glad you’re around.

  2. “…we actually are at present creatures whose character must be in some respects a horror to God, as it is when we really see it, a horror to ourselves. This I believe to be a fact and I notice that the holier a man is the more fully he is aware of that fact. Perhaps you had imagined that this humility in the Saints is a pious illusion in which God smiles. That is a most dangerous error. It is theoretically dangerous because it makes you identify a virtue, i.e. a perfection with an allusion, i.e. an imperfection, which must be nonsense. It is practically dangerous because it encourages a man to mistake his first insights into his own corruption for the first beginnings of a halo around his own silly head. No, depend upon it. When the Saints say that they, even they are vile, they are recording truth with scientific accuracy.”
    The Problem of Pain, CS Lewis

    Thank you Mark & Ryan. I’m one Jackass who’s very grateful for what you’re doing.

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