There is something we rarely hear about nowadays and that is humility. When we look at politicians we don't see it. We look at our government leaders and we don't seem to find it.
What we do find in people who are in powerful positions is usually pride. That is the common perception in our world today. If you want to get ahead in life you have to have the go get them attitude, that is the theme the world exudes anyway.
Humility doesn't seem to attract attention in our world today and it probably shouldn't in a way. That is the point of being humble, not drawing attention to ourselves.
We who are believers should be humble in our walk on the earth and give all the credit to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are just His servants doing what He wants us to do. We should not be the center of attention, Jesus should be.
You and I can't save anyone from their sins, but Jesus can. We can't convict anyone, the Holy Spirit can. The Lord can use us to minister to those in need and bring them the gospel message, but the Lord should get the praise and glory not us.
When I think of people who are full of pride I often think about the Pharisees of Jesus time. They were very religious, wore fancy robes, and liked all the attention the people gave them.
Luke 18 9-14 talks about one such Pharisee and a tax collector. Let's take a look and see what the Scripture says.
"To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else,
Jesus told this parable:
"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers-or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."
But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, "God, have mercy on me, a sinner."
I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God.
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I am reminded of a story that I heard about a congregation that wanted to do something nice for their Pastor. One Sunday they had a big ceremony and gave him a medal that said, "Most Humble"
It was a beautiful medal. The Pastor wore it the next Sunday, so the congregation took it back.
When we try to point out to others how humble we are, we are actually doing the complete opposite.
Our own attempts to be righteous fail each and every time. It may not come quickly, but eventually it will. The Lord will humble us if we don't do it ourselves.
The Lord is the only One that is truly righteous. I can't boast about my own righteousness because their is really nothing about me that is righteous. There is nothing about Michael Rairdon (that is me) that is Christ like. I am dependent upon the righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the One who died on the cross for my sins and He sealed me with His Holy Spirit.
I can't save myself. You can't save yourself. Only Jesus saves.
We must come to Him for forgiveness of our sins. We must come to Him humbly.
We must cast off any pride or it will destroy us.
Let us humble ourselves before the Lord and serve Him.
Lord,
Thank You for imparting Your righteousness upon us.
We humble ourselves before You.
Lead us and guide us by Your Holy Spirit.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
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