Recently a “bishop” of a church in New York City was robbed at gunpoint right in the middle of their Sunday church service. He and his wife were wearing over one million dollars worth of jewelry. That seems to be a very excessive amount of jewelry for one to wear anywhere on any occasion on any day of the week.
I know some experienced travelers who avoid drawing attention to themselves. When they travel they do not wear their fanciest clothes. They wear regular, everyday clothes that do not draw attention to themselves. They work at blending in. They are smarter than to make themselves a target for thieves, robbers, or people looking for a hostage for a ransom.
It’s ok to have money. Working, saving, investing, and managing is part of good stewardship which will yield an increase. Perhaps some in ministry, even with small incomes, can arrive at having one million dollars because of frugality, good money management and investments. It is not OK to be flashy, to show off, or flaunt blessings in an excessive manner. How we dress and “decorate” ourselves does reveal our character.
Humility is a disposition in the spirit of a person. Humility can be demonstrated in our actions, attitudes, and our appearance. “Notice the Greek definition for the word “Humbled.”
Humbled = To assign a lower rank or place to; to base.
Joseph Henry Thayer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Being Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti (New York: Harper & Brothers., 1889), 614.
The Apostle Peter contrasts pride with humility, and says that instead of being clothed with pride, we should wear humility each day.
“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5
The actions, attitudes, and appearance of a person can each be affected with pride or with humility. Living humbly is a conscienscous choice that will either point people to yourself or point people to Jesus.
By God’s grace, we can live each day with humility! Let genuine humility flow through your life. As Dwight Lyman Moody said, “A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility.”
This devotional is about the subject of “humility” and in my estimation, this is the greatest devotional posted to date. Lol! Really, that was a joke. Sometimes when we are seeking humility, we can actually start to be proud of our humility. That cancels out the “humility” doesn’t it?
Whether it is the clothes you wear, the standards you claim to adhere to, or some other possibly commendable practice, discipline, or habit, ask the Lord to help you remain truly humble.
Jesus is the greatest example of humility. The Apostle Paul described “humility” and “Jesus” this way:
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Phillipians 2:3-11
Be humble like Jesus. The Every Day Carry Christian will plan on carrying humility with him/her each day.
EDC Christian 