Tag: humility

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The Greatest

Daily Reading

Luke 14-16

Daily Reading

Luke 14-16

Daily Thought

Nolan Ryan, an outstanding baseball player, let his talent speak for itself. Rickey Henderson, also outstanding, did not. On May 1, 1991, Henderson stole a base for the 939th time, becoming baseball’s all-time number one stolen base leader. Rickey stopped the game, tore third base from the ground and held it high over his head like a trophy before the cheering crowd. This was his day! After the game, standing beside his friend, his mentor, and the man who used to hold the record, Rickey announced to the world, “Lou Brock was the best base-stealer in his time. But today, I’m the greatest of all time.”

Jesus noticed who sat where as he had dinner with a bunch of religious leaders, so he told a parable. 

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place.” ~Luke 14:8-9

Unfortunately (for Rickey), on that same day, 44-year old Nolan Ryan threw his 7th no-hitter, three more than second place and the oldest pitcher to throw one, After the game, Nolan Ryan quietly showered and went home. The next morning, Rickey did make the front page of the sports section, but below the fold, because above the fold, the large headline read, “Nolan Ryan Steals the Thunder.”

“But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” ~Luke 14:10-11

Take the most humble seat and you will find yourself sitting next to Jesus.

Daily Prayer

Awesome God, Jesus, Your Son, left His seat in heaven and took the lowest place on earth, the cross. The place I belonged. And yet, in that low place, His is the Name above every name, King of kings, Lord of lords, and every knee shall bow. 

What is amazing is that I do not need to steal Your glory. You made me in Your image, and because of the work of Your Son, I am heir to your riches. I did nothing to deserve it, but through Your grace, I am a child of God. Make me more like You, Jesus. Empty my pride. May I live to lift others up high enough to see how wonderful You are.

Amen

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A Level Place

Daily Reading

Luke 6-7

Daily Thought

A guy in a suit, pointing at a beggar on the side of the road, crowed, “There but for the grace of God go I,” and I secretly wondered if he was more proud he was not than humbled he could be.

Yehiel Dinur had survived Auschwitz and was now a witness against Adolf Eichmann, who was on trial for the millions of Jews he had slaughtered. Dinur entered the courtroom, stared for a moment at the butcher, but then collapsed on the floor, and left the room sobbing. “Were you overcome with hatred,” a reporter asked, “staring at the face of evil incarnate?” “No,” responded Dinur. The Eichmann he saw was not a demon, but an ordinary man. “I was afraid about myself. I saw that I’m capable to do this … exactly like he. Eichmann is in all of us.”

Love your enemies. They are not unlike you. “Love your enemies, and do good, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36). The more impressed I am of my sin, the more amazed I am at God’s grace.

A crowd of people gathered to hear Jesus, and he “came down with them and stood on a level place” (Luke 6:17). A level place, no orchestra seating, no balcony, everyone side by side, rich and poor, high society and low, righteous and unrighteous, a level place. “Blessed are the poor, the hungry, those who weep, those who are hated and reviled. Woe to the rich and those who have a full stomach, those who laugh and are spoken well of” (Luke 6:20-26). He was lifting the humble and warning the proud. Jesus has a way of doing that.

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, Help me see others with Your eyes, with Your heart. Help me see myself that way, as well. I know how much You love me. I need to remember how much You love those I see as enemies. You died for all of us, not because of any merit, but because You are love. I need the same humility and the same sacrificial attitude.

May I become more and more like Jesus Christ, who, for the grace of God, became like me, so that I may see God and become like Him.

Amen

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The Path of God

Daily Reading

Micah 1-7

Daily Thought

Micah, like ever-so-many prophets of God before and after him, called out God’s word to God’s people, “Hear, you people, all of you; pay attention, O earth, and all that is in it” (Micah 1:2). It was a message of judgment, a message repeated as often as needed, which is why there are seventeen books of the prophets in the Hebrew Bible. The prophets rebuked the people and the people rebuked the prophets, “One should not preach of such things; disgrace will not overtake us” (Micah 2:6). Actually, it will, and it did–the Assyrians destroyed Israel in 722 BC, the Babylonians took Judah into captivity in 586 BC.

“Hear this, you heads of the house of Jacob and rulers of the house of Israel, who detest justice and make crooked all that is straight” (Micah 3:9)–you had it coming. But every prophet of judgment brings a prospect of hope, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths” (Micah 4:2).

“But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel” (Micah 5:2). 

When God considered Christmas, when God thought about entering into our world, sending his Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ, he made an amazing decision about his home for Christmas. It was not to be a palace, fit for a king. It was not to be a mansion, worthy of his glory. It was not to be a temple or a church, a place you might expect to find God. God’s choice of a home for Christmas was a cold manger in a dirty stable in a little town called Bethlehem. 

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” ~Micah 6:8

To walk with God is to walk in justice and kindness and humility for that is the path he chooses.

Daily Prayer

Lord God, Lest I say to myself, “I have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry,” may I never forget that each day is a gift from You. May I store up treasures in Your Kingdom, may I be heavenly minded, may my first love always be You and may I always walk humbly, display kindness, pursue justice, fully showing your love to others. Then truly will I have life and life to the full. Then truly may I eat, drink, and be glad.

Amen

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Public Servant

Daily Reading

2Chronicles 25-27

Daily Thought

Three chapters, three kings in a row, each began well, but then. King Joash “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all the days of Jehoiada the priest (2Chronicles 24:2), but then Jehoiada died, “and they abandoned the house of the Lord” (2Chronicles 24:18). King Amaziah, “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not with a whole heart” (2Chronicles 25:2). King Uzziah “set himself to seek God in the days of Zechariah” (2Chronicles 26:5). Zechariah instructed him in the fear of God, and as long as Uzziah sought the Lord, God made him prosper. Each time, each king, something went wrong.

Uzziah’s name means “My strength is the Lord,” and from that strength came success. Enemies were conquered, the army grew strong, the walls of the city were fortified, the land was replenished and the people were well fed. Uzziah’s name became famous among the nations, but the meaning was lost. Rather Uzziah became strong in himself, “but when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction” (2Chronicles 26:16).

Uzziah could do it all. Well, almost all. Uzziah thought to show his glory by proclaiming, “I can be anything,” even a priest, but that’s not the way God works. The king is not priest, and only priests enter the temple and burn incense to the Lord. 

Humanity’s first sin is pride, to be like God, without first knowing what God is like. Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). Jesus Christ showed his glory by emptying himself, “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:6-7). We call our leaders “public servants.” If only it were true. 

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~Mark 10:43-45

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, may I be a reflection of You in this world, which means may I live like Jesus. In humility, I will serve others, considering them before myself. Keep reminding me that You are my strength. I too easily forget. Restore me, O God, when I fail, but even more, guard my heart when I succeed.

When I reflect on Your wonder and glory, I love better. I’m terribly tempted to love myself, so it is good to worship, because I remember my Creator. May all that I do turn eyes toward You, that You may be praised by all.

Amen

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The Deadlier Disease

Daily Reading

2Kings 4-5

Daily Thought

Naaman, commander of the army of Aram, showed up at the door of Elisha with power. Horses and chariots, silver and gold. He also showed up with leprosy. Naaman thought himself a great man and should be treated as such. God, however, is not impressed with power and Elisha, the prophet of God, instead treated the leper, not the great man, “Go, wash yourself in the river.” Naaman went away angry. Naaman was a hero and expected a hero’s cure, something flashy in keeping with his stature. “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper” (2Kings 5:11). Naaman thought his problem was leprosy. Elisha treated a deadlier disease called pride.

A Roman centurion, a great man and mighty warrior, showed up at the door of Jesus with his servant who was paralyzed and suffering. “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed” (Matthew 8:8). God is not impressed with power, but delights in humility and faith. Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment (Matthew 8:13).

I come to God to fix my problems, my illnesses, my finances, my enemies. Instead, God treats the deadlier disease, my pride, my greed, my lust. That’s the miracle. 

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, why do I try to impress You with what I can do? As if I can bring anything to You that You need. You created all things, You own the cattle on a thousand hills. It’s not because You have any need that You delight in my company. You simply delight in my company. I don’t understand that, but I’m thrilled.

God, thank you for healing my heart. I bring nothing to You except my faith, my devotion, my obedience, and my love.

Amen

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Playing Favorites

Daily Reading

Genesis 43-45

Daily Thought

Jacob, knew the sting of favoritism, “Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28). His father had preferred his brother. Favoritism produced pain and division, yet, Jacob, when it was his turn, chose a son to favor, as well. “Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors” (Genesis 37:3). Indeed, the sins of the father visit the children to the third and fourth generation (see Exodus 34:7).

After Joseph was gone, Jacob promoted Benjamin in his stead. The favorite’s chair continued to be filled. Even Joseph played favorites; “Portions were taken to them from Joseph’s table, but Benjamin’s portion was five times as much as any of theirs” (Genesis 43:34). 

The chain would be broken, at last, by way of humility. Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers, chose to be last instead of first. When Benjamin’s life appeared to be threatened, Judah offered his in exchange, “Please let me remain instead of Benjamin as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers” (Genesis 44:33). Judah offered his life for the sake of his brothers and his father. True greatness is never first in line. Serving and sacrifice always get there before it.  

Joseph appears the hero of the last dozen chapters of Genesis, but God’s Son, the Servant King, would descend not through the favored line of Joseph, but through a different son, a servant. “Jesus…the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham” (Luke 3:33-34). Serving others is in God’s DNA.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Daily Prayer

My God, what humility from the King of kings and Lord of lords. We don’t rule that way, but our Creator does. How pompous we are, the desire to be first reigns in our heart. Yet, the One who is truly First places Himself last, in the role of servant.

I have learned from Your Son, my Savior, that to be first I must be last, as well. That You shine through me when I love and serve others. May I be one who follows You downward, emptying my own pride, and replacing it with love and sacrifice.

Amen

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Undeserving

Daily Reading

Genesis 27-29

Daily Thought

Jacob was a conniving son of his mother, and she taught him to deceive. He stole his brother’s birthright, then his Father’s blessing, and now on the run because big brother Esau was mad, Jacob was alone. He “left Beersheba and went toward Haran, and he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set” (Genesis 28:10). He was somewhere, but who knows where, and he laid his head on a rock and fell asleep and “he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it” (Genesis 28:12). Jacob was nowhere special, but it was exactly the right place, for God was there with him. 

“Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, ‘Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it’” (Genesis 28:16). God had used Jacob’s circumstances, bad circumstances of Jacob’s own making, to bring Jacob to “this place.” It is the common course of man and woman that we must be brought down before we can be lifted up. God had plans for Jacob, but not because Jacob deserved God’s attention. 

What if God only paid attention to us when we deserved it? 

God displays his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8

Daily Prayer

God of heaven, thank You for looking down on me, even when I’m not looking up.  You saved me before I knew I needed rescuing. I was spiritually asleep and You showed up, but no, You were always there. It is me that became awakened to Your presence.  

Now, my Lord, I know that You are in me, that You have numbered my days and created me for a purpose, for good works that glorify Your name. I commit each day to You, because by Your grace, I am a child of the Almighty.

Amen