Oh boy! Today's pearl is humility...
"When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom."
~Proverbs 11:2
[To humble yourself means to keep a modest opinion about yourself and behave accordingly.]
Humility is something we all want to achieve, but it's hard to measure. Even if you proclaimed, "I am a humble person" it would sound a bit proud. Striving for a spirit of humility is an awesome goal, however. Your first step should obviously be humility toward God.
If you read my post about The Pearl of Fear this should not be hard for you to comprehend. Before you can humble yourself before God you must fear (revere) Him. There are some wonderful examples in the Bible of people who humbled themselves before God: Moses (Exodus 3:1-6), Job (Job 42;1-6), Agur (Proverbs 30:2-4), John (Revelation 1:10-17), and the 24 Elders (Revelation 4:9-11). I encourage you to read those scriptures and notice what each person's response was when they were in God's presence.
Our opening scripture says the lowly have wisdom. What does lowly mean? Does it mean poor? Destitute? I think not! Lowly simply means humble. If you remember my post about The Pearl of Wisdom you'll remember that wisdom is the ability to discern. If we are humble God will give us discernment. OUTSTANDING!
Once we understand humility toward God it is important to be humble with regard to ourselves. That basically means recognizing that it is because of God's grace that we have what we have and are what we are. I encourage you to read I Corinthians 4:7, Isaiah 26:12, I Corinthians 15:10, Deuteronomy 8:17-18, Proverbs 25:6-7, Proverbs 27:2, Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 18:12, James 14:11 and James 4:10. What do these verses teach you?
Jesus Christ was our supreme example. He is God and even HE practiced humility unto death (Philippians 2:3-11, Matthew 20:26-28).
Isn't it interesting that understanding humility can be quite difficult, but its antithesis, pride, is prevalent in society today? The bible has some direct things to say about pride. Pride is sin (Proverbs 21:4). Pride leads to punishment and it is an abomination (Proverbs 16:5, 6:16-17). Pride brings shame (Proverbs 11:2). If you want an example of what happens to those with prideful hearts read Daniel 4:28-37 and Acts 12:20-23.
A few important scriptures:
- For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. ~Romans 7:18
- Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. ~Matthew 18:3-4
- But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our rightheousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. ~Isaiah 64:6
- Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering. ~Colossians 3:12
Have a humble day!
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