"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up." (James 4:10)

Sometimes the hardest thing to do in a situation where you know you're right is to humble yourself before someone who you know is wrong. Humility is a characteristic that denotes Godliness . . . loving your neighbor as yourself. Humility is unselfishness, it is selflessness. Humility is decreasing so that He might increase in us. Humility is the opposite of the devilish spirit so prevalent in the world today -- one that exalts self to the point of excluding and denying others' rights to be acknowledged.

God looks at the inward man . . . the intent of the heart. Our scripture today reminds us that if we humble ourselves in God's sight, He will lift us up . . . in His time. We don't need to promote ourselves in order to gain respect or to be noticed; we don't need to make others look bad so we will look good in the eyes of those who have authority over us. God is the One who promotes -- He causes us to be seen and our good works and deeds acknowledged in His time and according to His purposes.

Many stories can be told of people who have allowed themselves to be abased only to find that in time God promotes or lifts them up in a way that they never had expected. In most instances all it takes is a silent tongue even in the face of persecution an act of humility in the sight of God. When we deny ourselves the right to justify our actions or to brag on our accomplishments, God can easily be seen in us and through us and He is exalted. His reward may not even be seen in this lifetime, but His reward will be great . . . He WILL take care of us.

"Promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another." Notice that GOD is the one who promotes -- all He expects from us is living a life of humble obedience before Him. He'll take care of the rest.

Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up.

Father, forgive me for not displaying humility as often as I could. Help me to recognize each opportunity to exercise humility that You would be glorified in me. Lord, I want to please You more than anything . . . I trust you with my life, amen.

"For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." (Psalm 84:10)

© Jan Ross
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