I believe that humility is one of the hardest things that we as Christian men and women try to live with in today's society. It is so cool to be able to share with someone an accomplishment we have achieved and sometimes the things we do are because we are prompted by God and we just want to "shout it from the roof tops" when it was done right. I can remember when Jesus did some of His most famous miracles (like cleansing the Leper), he would tell the person as he went away "See that you tell no one; but go, show yourself to the priest, and present the offering that Moses commanded, for a testimony to them" (Matt 8:4). I know if that had been me I would have been running through the streets shouting how Jesus healed me!
In John chapter 13 there are a couple of wonderful examples of the humility of Jesus as he prepares to share in the Lord's Supper with His disciples. Jesus after speaking had prepared to wash the feet of His disciples and as He "laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about..." I am sure the disciples were somewhat confused as to His actions.
He began to pour water into a basin and started washing the feet of His disciples and He came to Peter and Peter said "Lord, do You was my feet?" And with the wisdom that only God could have had, He simply said "What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter." At first Peter refused and as Jesus taught him the lesson in humility Peter was ready to be given a full bath. Of course, after Peter recognizes the importance of the action Jesus helps him to understand that "he who has bathed need only have his feet washed" and so a valuable lesson in humility was taught that night.
Today we want everything done and we want it done right now and especially by someone else. When was the last time you stopped your car to allow a little old lady to push her basket across the path in from of a Wal-Mart store or actually said "excuse me" for walking in front of someones path?
We seem to be a different "unkind" breed of people today, even those of us who refer to ourselves as "children of the King" however, Jesus has commanded us to practice humility in everything that we do. I have seen so many stories on Face book alone where the story is full of "I, I, I, and if I hadn't done this or that..." When will we kneel down and wash the feet of another (figuratively speaking) to show our humility.
Nothing that we do for the Father has the word "I" in it. The only power given to us, just as it was with Jesus, was from our Heavenly Father. When will we finally give Him the credit deserved for the actions He prompts in our lives. Oh it's wonderful and gives us a great joy to have gone out and passed out lots of "tract" at some large sporting event or walking through the Mall and we marvel in the excitement of some of the responses but in John 13: 31,32, Jesus says, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him; If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and will glorify Him immediately." Begin to recognize where the glory is coming from in your life. Are you the main character in the event or is it the Lord of Glory who has prompted you to act?
Humility is a hard "trait" to practice today especially when we want people to see how well we can do some things but try to do something nice for someone this next week without telling a soul. Believe me, you will be blessed and God will be glorified.
Dave
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