Humbleness 07.25.08

Hello My Friend/Guest,

It is Friday July 25, 2008 and today we are continuing our studies on the book of Proverbs. Please read Chapters 16-19 in your Bible or Click here to read. Cut & Paste to your browser: biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2016-19&version=9

Today we will read and learn about the values of pleasing the Lord and wise choices. Today's message focuses on the importance of learning to be humble.

To be humble means to feel less proud of one's own importance, to be repsectful toward others no matter how bad they treat you, and to face humility with grace. God urges us to be humble, "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud." (Proverbs 16:18-19). 

However, no one is naturally humble. Our human nature is infused with pride passed down from Adam. It is only the indwelling Christ who can develop true humbleness in our lives. Humbleness will produce in us kindness toward the unkind, long suffering toward those who annoy us, and love toward our enemies.  

Many of us would like to think that we are humble, at least more than others, but humbleness, or a lack of it, is apparent by our attitude when we are with someone who irritates us. "Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but that his heart may discover itself." (18:1-2). Knowing the destructive power of pride, let us look beyond our hearts and choose to use the difficult people that God places before us as an opportunity to cleanse ourselves of that pride and to express the Christlike humbleness that God seeks from us.   How inconsistent it is to think we have humblely given ourselves to Christ when we snub or react harshly to anyone who wrongs or irrates us. It can be very hard to forgive someone who has hurt you, but without forgiveness comes a chain reaction of anger, bitterness, and hate toward all.  

To be Christlike is to see others through the eyes of Jesus and to give equal consideration to all people, regardless of their race, position, abilities, or wealth, for God is no respecter of persons. Paul reminds us, "Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" (Philippians 2:2-5).  

In today's reading Jesus Christ is revealed as the One who punishes the proud. (Proverbs 16:5). Jesus said, "For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (Luke 14:11).  

Today's Prayer:
Dear Lord, You have placed Your children in a world where people push and shove to be first. Because of their self-importance they will stop at nothing until they get what they want in life, even if it means hurting others in the process. Lord, You have called us to view life from a perspective that considers others as important as ourselves. We are to have a humble attitude that puts You first, others second, and ourselves last in everything we do. In our humanity this is impossible, but as we are being transformed into the likeness of Your Son, Jesus, we become more like Him. Help us to have the mind of Christ in all that we do and to humble ourselves as You would, Jesus. In Jesus; name.....Amen.  

Have a great day and weekend!
God bless, Christina  

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