"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." (NIV) 1 Peter 5:6
There is something about today's world which leaves the words Humble and Humility to be words that aren't utilized much. I have no doubt that there are many reasons for this, but that is not the point today. I look around and what I see our Prideful Souls - people who work hard to share with another all that they have done, all that they possess, all that they are. If we are going to be completely honest, there are many times when my soul is full of pride. I am not happy to admit that, but if we are going to gain insight to ourselves, we need to be honest. Pride is certainly not something I am proud of (seems ironic). I know this because I know how my Lord feels about a prideful person (...to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth... Isiah 23:9). I don't want to be that person - I want to have a humble heart. What does that mean to you?
To me, it means that my heart (which in turn will connect to my mind), enters into situations without an "air" of I am the best, but rather, where can I learn. This past week, I read a devotion that stuck with me - enter a situation with something to learn, not something to prove. How powerful is that when seeking a humble heart? Do I always enter into situations that way? I certainly don't. There are many discussions/meetings/chats where I may enter without a humble heart . As we know, God's choice for us is the humble manner.
This became increasingly apparent to me most recently when I was observing a conversation between two people. It was clear, as the conversation progressed, that neither party had any humility between them - they were both going into the conversation to "win". I have had more conversations than I care to admit where I entered into them with the "winning" mentality versus the "learning" mentality. I hope I am not the only one out here who has focused this way. I am certainly not proud of my behavior, especially looking back. Did my behavior demean someone else? Were they made to feel inferior based on my words? How did the rest of their day unfold due to my need to "win"? No, I am certainly not proud of those moments.
Entering a situation with humility is how our Dear Jesus entered Jerusalem during his last few days on Earth. He didn't enter with a sense of pride. He entered on a donkey - a lowly animal. His power is unimaginable - he healed the sick and oppressed. He drove out demons. Yet, he humbled himself in front of his enemies. The example Jesus gives us in all his actions is that of a humble heart. If anyone didn't need to be humble, it certainly was Jesus. Yet, that's not our Lord - our Lord came to us to show us - show us how to live. Jesus' humble heart yielded him at the right hand of our Father in heaven. As our Bible verse for today states, He will "lift up" those who are humble. Let us not show our pride, but let God be proud of us.
As we enter this Lenten season, let us remember the Jesus that made the long walk to Calvary for our prideful souls. Let us reflect upon our ways and ask God's help in changing us. As always, Jesus is the example of how we should live our lives, with a humble heart.
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