Humility

I just saw the neatest phrase that brought a picture into my mind of humility.

"The tree with the heaviest fruit hangs the lowest."

Jesus taught humility in so many ways. He told a parable about when you enter a room, instead of taking the front row seat and then asked by the host to move back to the back, take the back seat, so that when the host asks you to move forward, you will be honored rather than disgraced. That is humility demonstrated in a very visible way. "He who humbles himself shall be exalted."

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (James 4:10) When we do our works in a humble manner not seeking glory for ourselves, it is the Lord who will get the glory, and it is the Lord who will honor us with a "well done, thou good and faithful servant." If we do good deeds to be recognized by men, and we are praised for it here and now, God says we've already received our reward--the praise of man. Would you rather have the praise of man or the praise of God?

Christ exhibited the greatest humility by going to the cross to die for our sins and is our greatest example where God in the end has exalted him to the highest place of honor:

Philippians 2:4-11:

"Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interest of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant being made in human likeness, and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross. Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father."

Jesus came to earth to serve, not to be served. He looked out for the interest of others, and not to His own interests. Can we do anything less if we desire to please our Lord? At times we become so focused on earthly matters, we lose the rightful focus of the purpose for which God created us---to be conformed to our Savior and give pleasure, honor, and glory to God!

I pray you are a tree bowed down very low because your good deeds done in humility are evident to all!
Sandy