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“He [Jesus] was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1.10-13)

The word right in the focus text (above) can also be understood as meaning power or ability. The right to become is the power to become. The power to become is man's greatest power. The acorn has the power to become an oak tree. It cannot become anything else. However, the acorn's ability to become is entirely programmed in. It cannot adapt to the lack of water during a drought and find an alternative way of getting water. It is what it is and it can be no more. Man is not like that; he has the ability to adapt and to change the circumstances to which he is subjected. If he doesn't like the cold weather, he can always move to a warmer clime, put on more clothes, find a way to heat his environment, or come up with a dozen other alternatives to address his dislike for the cold. That is but one example. He has this ability in many, many aspects of his life. Granted, there are some things which he cannot change, but he can always change the way he reacts to the circumstances to which he is subjected.

Man has the power to become that transcends circumstances; animals and plants do not. This power to become can be seen in many of the genuine heroes of life. Every mother who has fought for the life of her child knows about the power to become. Every disabled person who has risen to unusual heights knows about the power to become. Every soldier who has battled fear to save others knows about the power to become. Every poor man or woman who has risen above circumstances knows about the power to become. Just as surely as the power to become is man's greatest power, resigning one's self to merely suffer powerlessly through one's existence without challenging its apparent outcome is life's greatest waste of resources!

Some religions actually assign man to a destiny with no alternatives. These religions include “Christian” religions as well as non-christian religions. Whatever they are, they are nothing more than a denial of the abilities that Creator God placed within us. None of us is consigned to suffer without control over the impact it has upon us. None of us is consigned to an eternity of suffering with no chance of redemption. John said it correctly when he said, “As many as received Him,” to them He gave the “...right to become the children of God.” There are no caste systems in Christianity and there is no limit to what we can become spiritually other than that which we impose on ourselves.

Cain had the right to become accepted of God even as his brother had done; he chose not to exercise that power. Esau had the power to become but he sold that right to his brother in a moment of temporal want. Joseph's brothers had the ability to become but Joseph excelled the others in spite of the hardships to which he was subjected. Peter had the ability to become and he made the most of that right. Saul of Tarsus had the power to become and he later came to be known as the peerless apostle Paul, author of almost half the books in the New Testament.

The right to become is the loftiest of man's capacities. We did not invent this power nor did we deserve it; it was given to us freely by our Creator. The right to become a child of God surpasses all other abilities like the sun surpasses the light of the moon. Avail yourself of man's highest possible attainment; claim your right to become one of God's children by receiving the Son!

Questions:

1. According to today's text, does one who doesn't receive the Son have the right to become God's child?

2. In what ways does man differ from the animal kingdom in his right to become?

3. How did Joseph demonstrate the correct way to use man's power to become ?

4. Today's article states that man's power to become is his greatest power. Do you agree or disagree? Why did you answer the way you did?

"'Winging It" from Stan Smith

Washed by the Water of the Word