|
|
|
James 4:6-10
But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
“God opposes the proud
but shows favor to the humble.”
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
New International Version (NIV)
| |
|
Do you ever “humble brag?” One of our interns taught me this word one summer a few years ago. Humble bragging is actually pretending to be humble at the same time we are bragging. Definition: “something you say which appears as if you are complaining or embarrassed, but is really a way of telling people about something that you are very proud of.” Example: someone tweeted, “I legitimately only had one dollar and no other money and I gave it to a homeless guy. Why am I so nice?” I show you this as an example so that we can see it in ourselves.
Jesus’ younger half-brother James, also known as “Camel knees” because of the callouses built up through time in prayer, would never have bragged about his callouses or fallen for the humble brag. In fact he not only calls us to humility by reminding us that God gives grace to the humble, but he defines humility in these verses. Humble disciples show humility by submitting to God. We draw near to God in humility because pride will keep us from coming close to him. When we are humble we turn from sin both outwardly and inwardly.
Because Christ’s disciples know God is holy, in humility we should not be flippant about sin, laughing it off as though unimportant. I remember the words of the pastor on the radio in Montana when I was leaving a night shift at McDonald’s restaurant: “I don’t want to grieve the Lord. He has been too good to me.” He sounded like he meant it. Followers of Christ still sin, but when we do we grieve it, we mourn and wail. In humility we do not defend our sin or anybody else’s sin. Think of David’s response when Nathan confronts him. Sackcloth and ashes have fallen into disuse in our day. Of course the result is that those who exalt ourselves will be humbled. This is as painful as it sounds.
I know this may sound awful to us. But I hope it will become awesome. The promise to those who grieve and mourn our sin is that as we humble ourselves, God will lift us up. We see it so often in King David’s life when he refuses to take his enemy into his own hands. He trusts that in God’s time, God will give him what he needs. Do we? I caught myself singing this morning, “Trust and obey for there is no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.” When we succeed at trusting and obeying, we likely don’t tweet about it!
| |
|
Pray with me:
Father, we want to be humble, but I fear we are not very good at it. Even our efforts at humility can become occasions of pride. Today give us the grace to see ourselves from your point of view: worse off than we thought, and more loved than we ever imagined. We ask that you would reveal any false pride so that we may repent of it. Lord we want to humble ourselves so that you may lift us up today. Help us to know how to do this and how not to turn it into pride when we do. This is tricky for people like us. We know we need your help. Thank you for graciously giving us everything we need today for life and godliness. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
| |
|
Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:17-18
Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
| |
| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
| |
|
|
|
|
