Humility isn’t something people aspire to these days.
When we get together, we tend to talk more about what we plan to achieve or accomplish. We dream big. We focus on great things, forward momentum, growing in power and influence and status and wealth.
And that’s not wrong, necessarily. It’s good to grow. It’s good to gain physical comforts and practical skills and important titles. And, in that scenario, it would be very strange to talk to someone whose greatest ambition was to become less.
Therein lies one of the ironies of the concept of humility. So often we attribute humility with poverty or low self-esteem or people who come from the wrong side of the tracks. And while that’s true in some connotations, that’s not the only way to find humility.
Biblical humility has very little do with your financial status or your retirement plan or your political standing or whatever other means we use to compare ourselves to each other. Biblical humility is spiritual. It’s not your life; it’s your attitude about your life.
But one truth about humility that is undeniable: God always responds to it.
The Scriptures overflow with passages dedicated to being humble, ascribing virtue and righteousness to the humble. Jesus pointed out repeatedly that it is the meek, the lowly, the poor in spirit who will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. He said over and over again that the first would be last and the last would be first, that the greatest among us must be a servant.
That’s what Jesus says. But do His actions match up with His words and His claims? Of course, they do. But don’t just take my word for it. Let’s take some time and see for ourselves how God responds to humility.
Apr 1 - The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)
Apr 2 - The Centurion and Jesus’ authority (Matthew 8:5-13)
Apr 3 - The Gentile Woman and the scraps (Matthew 15:21-28)
Apr 4 - Paul’s Thorn (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)
Apr 5 - Jesus and the Disciples’ dirty feet (John 13:1-17)
The Bible is loaded with stories about how those who are truly humble have something the proud don’t: Jesus’ favor. It sounds backwards, doesn’t it? It would make sense in our puny human minds for the vaunted and the accomplished and the powerful to be the ones leading the charge for the Kingdom of Heaven. But that’s not how God works.
If the great and powerful were all He used, they might be able to keep some credit for themselves. God uses the ones who have nothing, so no one can doubt His power. And in the mean time, He exalts those who find their strength in Him.
That’s our memory verse for today in 1 Peter 5:6.
When you’re waiting on God, He’s the one who will exalt you. He is the one who will make sure you get the credit that’s due to you. He will ensure that your contributions aren’t forgotten. He sees you, and He remembers you, and He knows what you’ve gone through for Him. He doesn’t forget. And if you’re waiting on Him, you can be confident that when the time is right, you’ll receive all that He promise you. Because He never breaks His promises.
And, frankly, I’d rather be honored by God than by anyone else in the universe.
Being humble doesn’t come naturally, but if we can learn to choose humility in our lives, that is something God can bless. And I don’t know about you guys, but I desperately need God’s blessings.
Praying for each of you this week.
All my love,
Amy
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