Humility

April 22

Joshua 7-8

Psalm 49:16-20

Proverbs 11:27-29

Luke 14

Humility

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Luke 14:11 LSB 

Today’s passage, like the one we studied yesterday, is one that emphasizes that God’s economy is different from man’s.  According to modern teaching we need to demand our rights, get what we deserve, toot our own horn, and do whatever we have to do to get ahead.  We are encouraged to be proud of ourselves and that humility is demeaning.  The Bible teaches the exact opposite.  God hates pride (Proverbs 8:13, 16:5, 16-19).  Pride distances us from God making us think we are self-reliant and don’t need Him (Psalm 10:4, Jeremiah 9:23-24, Obadiah 1:3).  Pride leads to destruction and God will humble the proud (Proverbs 11:2, 16:18, 29:23, Isaiah 2:11, Daniel 4:37, Matthew 23:12). 

Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 describe Satan’s fall from heaven.  He was a beautiful angel with great power, but he wanted more.  He wanted to be exalted and worshipped like God and ultimately his pride led him to want to be God.  It is not surprising that someone who is prideful and arrogant would want others to be prideful as well.  It isn’t difficult for Satan to convince us that we are great and deserve the best of everything.  It is probably his most successful lie.  Galatians 6:3 says, “For if anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”  LSB  Romans 12:3 encourages us, “For through the grace given to me I say to each one among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound thinking, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” LSB  And Philippians 2:3-4 instructs us to “do nothing from selfish ambition or vain glory, but with humility of mind regarding one another as more important than yourselves, not merely looking out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.” 

Humility pleases God  (Isaiah 66:2, Micah 6:8, James 4:6, Psalm 149:4).  A humble person has a proper estimation of themselves.  They recognize that they are sinful and that it is by God’s abundant grace and mercy and Jesus’ sacrifice that they are freed from sin and able to walk in obedience to Him.  When we see clearly who God is and who we are in relation to Him, we cannot be prideful.  We are humbly grateful for His abundant provision.  We will not seek to exalt ourselves, but we will take every opportunity to exalt Him.  Demanding our “rights” and to get what we deserve is not in our best interests because we recognize that what we deserve is death and hell, but we have been given the gift of eternal life.  Tooting our own horn is not even appealing to us because our desire is to praise Him.  Instead of trying to “get ahead” the humble allow God to guide their steps to accomplish His purposes for their life.  Examine your hearts today and ask God to reveal any areas of pride where you need to humble yourself so He won’t have to humble you.