Humility. Today's word of the day. How does it apply to loving my neighbor as myself? Oh boy, it applies, and it hit me between the eyes. There is so much ground to cover on the subject of love, but love isn't going anywhere without humility. Jesus is such a beautiful example of humility. He was the strongest man who ever lived! Strong enough to battle the powers of hell for me, for you. Strong enough to resist the devil's antics when famished and in a weakened state. Strong enough to submit to a horrific and humiliating death. Humility then, is not for the timid soul. Humility is for the few, the strong, (no, not the Marines), but the ones on the narrow path.
I am guilty of pride. I am guilty of being weak in the worst sense of the word. I am guilty therefore of loving poorly. What I see today, though, is hope. Hope for true change. Hope for true strength, hope for true love. And it begins with a humble look at myself, my relationships, and the people I am supposed to love. It occurs to me that a slight shift in focus is once again required. A needed shift that, without the Holy Spirit, would go unnoticed by me, has gone unnoticed by me. Exposed at the root of some of my closest relationships is a feeling of possession. As owner of a relationship, certain 'rights' are granted to me. And if those rights aren't realized, I get to stomp my foot and demand that they are. Sound messed up? It is, totally. Yet, the 'me' generation, the inundation of 'entitlement', the 'I deserve', the 'have it your way', the but I'm just not 'happy', and on and on and on...has so infected the minds & hearts of our culture, me included, that I end up with a worldly attitude. James 4 is talking about this very thing!!! And he says the antidote is humility!
So what does that look like? I need to know. I need to know on a practical level how I will reach the place of humbly loving those around me.The most obvious is spending time in His presence. James 4:8 says "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." That sounds harsh, I know. But it applies. Coming to God and seeking a relationship with Him all the while getting my hands dirty in the ways and attitudes of the world, don't mix. So, once again, I must sit in His presence, and I must come with humility and let Him show me where I am messed up. That's the easy part. Walking away and NOT adapting the world's attitudes is where the rubber meets the road. What I love about the Lord, though, is that he gives grace to us when we do this. I picture Him as 'greasing the skids' so to speak. Easing the way for us. That makes me happy and gives me hope.
Okay, more practical stuff. Do I think I am right all of the time, that my way is the best way? Zero humility there. Do I demand my way, my rights, my needs to be met? Zero humility there. Am I looking at my relationships from an ownership viewpoint or from a gratitude viewpoint? If my relationships are gifts to me, I will respond much differently than if I think I own them and have certain rights. Recently, I read about a man whose life was in such a downward spiral of loss, that he despaired of life itself. But somehow he began to crawl out of despair with an attitude of thankfulness for the people in his life. He began to thank them, from service providers, to friends, family, employees, and bosses...he thanked them from a place of truth, not a made up platitude. It literally turned his life around. He became a steward of sorts...holding with great respect the people entrusted to his circle...he quit demanding that life treat him fairly or in a certain way...giving up his rights. The love and support he received from his change of heart caused him to be rich in what matters the most in life...love! What a beautiful picture of humility in action.
I realize today that the shift I need in order to love well, is one of humbly drawing near to God, receiving His grace, and in turn approaching the circle of people in my life with an attitude of gratitude, holding loosely to my 'rights', entrusting those to Him, and changing my focus from owner to steward. As a steward, a keeper of the relationships, my focus is then off of ME in an unhealthy, sinful, demanding way...and the focus becomes a noble one, to treat my relationships with love, respect, and a grateful heart. (A simple action plan would be to make a list of all of the people in your life you are grateful for, what it is that they do or are that makes you appreciate them, and then tell them or write them. I have begun to do this and it is changing my heart).
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you at the proper time (1 Peter 5:5,6). Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up (James 4:10)Associate with the humble, do not be wise in your own opinion (Romans 12:16). I dwell in the high and holy place with him who has a contrite and humble spirit (Isaiah 57:15).
No comments:
Post a Comment