He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Devotion

Walking the path of humility can oftentimes be difficult for many of us. We tend to think in worldly terms. The world always tries to tell us to be more popular, trendy, and wealthy. It tells us how to get ahead and what success looks like. A big title or nice things can be a status symbol, and a lot of people wear it with pride. I have fallen into this trap. I have tried to go it alone and push forward to the next goal, project, or promotion, but this was in direct contrast to what Jesus wanted for me. Jesus himself said in Luke 14:11, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” After all, he was the one who came into this world most humbly. He was not born in a palace. He was born in a manger, as the inn had no room. The word for manger is the Latin word munducare, which means “to eat.” When our Savior left the comfort of Heaven, his first resting place on earth doubled as a feeding trough for livestock. Jesus showed us his road map for humility from the day he was born.

When we surrender and live our lives for Christ, we replace personal desire with compassion and gratitude. One fantastic example of humility I can think of is someone I worked with for many years. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at a reasonably young age. The diagnosis was not hopeful, and the treatment she went through for the next two years was very difficult for her and her family. Even today, six years later, she is still living with it. What amazed me was how thankful she was for her cancer. She says proudly it is the best thing that ever happened to her. Since her cancer diagnosis, she has written a series of books about faith, love, and fullness. She explains that cancer was a heavenly gift, leading her to be even closer to her Almighty Father. She says the peace and love she feels comes from not looking inward but upward. Looking inward was confining and led her to self-pity and despair. When looking upward, she found true peace. She humbled herself before Christ and found grace, love, and the satisfaction of a thirst she was never able to truly quench until now. Scripture tells us in James 4:10 that we should humble ourselves before the Lord, and he will lift us up.

Today, reflect on how you can be humble before God. You never know what journey he has planned for you tomorrow. Your humility and surrender will lead you closer to him, and you will get to experience true thankfulness, joy, and peace.

PRAYER

Dear Heavenly Father. We love you, Lord. We are so honored to let you lead. Father, continue to work through us as we strive to be more like you each and every day. We are humbled and thankful for your grace and mercy, Lord. Continue to guide us on the path that always leads to you. We give you all honor and glory. It is in Jesus' most precious name. Amen.

Scott Dudley
Executive Director - Crossings Community Clinics

Resources

• Listen to Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly by Pat Barrett. 
• “The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the diving glory.” - Andrew Murray

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