Changing your mind based on new information might be humbling, but it is not a humiliation to admit that you were wrong. It is actually a blessing. Look at an encounter in Luke 13 where Jesus heals a woman on the Sabbath. While the text says his opponents were "humiliated," we take a closer look at Jesus’ actual intent. Is he trying to shame his critics, or is he inviting them into a different way of seeing the world?

I think there are at least two ways we tend to misread the idea of blessing.

One is loud and obnoxious. It tells us that if God is good, then the evidence should show up in visible, measurable success. Health and wealth, (whatever that means) but fundamentally a life that is, in some tangible sense, ahead of everyone else around us. Call it the prosperity gospel if you want, or just call it what it is, a way of confusing God’s blessing with material increase.

In Christian thought, there is a concept called the ordo amoris—the order of loves. It’s a way of thinking about generosity, care, and kindness in relation to our responsibilities and obligations in the world. It is not, however, a way to excuse ourselves from caring for our neighbour.

A new Study Bible based on the NRVSue has also been released: The SBL Study Bible. This isn’t meant to replace a full commentary set, but it’s an excellent resource for anyone who wants to study the Bible more seriously.