DEVOTIONAL INSIGHTS & REFLECTIONS

Humility = Obedience - November 23

Let's take a look at humility---a requirement if we want to be used of God in a significant way. As we know, humility is the opposite of pride.

Let's define them:

pride = a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve to be respected by other people. : a feeling that you are more important or better than other people. : a feeling of happiness that you get when you or someone you know does something good, difficult, etc. (a simple definition by Merriam Webster)

pride = Pride is not just a problem for me…it is a problem for humanity. Pride’s been defined as a feeling of deep pleasure or satisfaction in an achievement, an accomplishment, or in someone else or something else but it’s also been described as conceit, egotism, vanity, vainglory, all over one’s own appearance or status in life and not just something that’s been accomplished. It is an inwardly directed emotion that can easily offend others and carries with it a connotation that displays an inflated sense of one’s own worth or personal status and typically makes one feel a sense of superiority over others and can easily make someone look condescendingly at others. Pride in one’s nation or in one’s own children is somewhat different from that of having pride in themselves (Prov 17:6) but even that can self-attribute a sense of worth that is easily overvalued, overinflated, and be unrealistic. [a biblical definition in the Christian Crier (patheos), Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]

Though we may not see it, be aware of it --- pride and arrogance walk together, hand-in-hand.

Merriam Webster defines "arrogance" as "an insulting way of thinking or behaving that comes from believing that you are better, smarter, or more important than other people."

So, it's insulting when we think we are better, smarter or more important than others... There is a scripture that says, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." And another that says, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh."

Sometimes we may think, it's only a thought, but thoughts are revealed through our actions and our words. That's one reason the Lord tells us to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. We are to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exults itself..., remembering that we war not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities in the heavenlies.

humility = a modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness. synonyms: modesty, humbleness, meekness, diffidence, unassertiveness; lack of pride, lack of vanity; servility, submissiveness; "he accepted the award with sincere humility" (Google)

Jesus defined humility as "obedience to the Father." When he came to earth, His main purpose was to reveal the Father (His heart and His will) to us; and He accomplished that perfectly. He (Jesus) is our example; He is the one we are to follow.

Philippians 2:1-11 Authorized (King James) Version (AKJV):

         1 If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, 2 fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
         And He is the one who perfects us, it's not by the mere power of our own will (though that is necessary) but by the power of His Holy Spirit, when we submit to Him, "He will teach us all things that pertain to life and godliness."

"If God is for us, who can be against us?"

Oh, how He loves us.