Dec 04 2024

For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Just before this verse was spoken, Jesus told a parable about a dinner party. He said that when choosing seats, you should pick the lowest place of honor instead of the highest. That way, you will never be asked to move down but only to move up. He concludes by saying that if you exalted yourself, you will be humbled, but if you humble yourself, you will be exalted.

There are so many modern-day applications for this verse. In today's world, it can be really easy—and tempting—to exalt ourselves. When having a conversation with a superior at work, for instance, we can casually slip in our more impressive credentials in an effort to get affirmation. But Jesus has told us to be different: to humble ourselves and rest knowing that He will be the one to exalt us.

Think about it: Would you rather be the one putting yourself on a pedestal, or would you rather Jesus did it for you? Personally, I'd choose Jesus. However, we have to accept that the Lord often has different timing than we do. While we want to be exalted in the moment, He might exalt us in a week, or a year, or a decade. His timing is perfect, but it is often different from what we would prefer.

Yet, it is important to remember that the point is not ultimately our own exaltation. Instead, we should be secure even if we really are the least honorable or least qualified guest at a dinner party or anywhere else. Our identity will never be in our qualifications, but instead in who Jesus is. We can bow out of the race for significance because we already know that the greatest claim we have to our own worthiness happened 2,000 years ago on a cross.

When we keep this in mind, we will realize, as the British writer and theologian C. S. Lewis once stated, that Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less. We will be thinking so much of the Lord that we will not even pay attention to where we are sitting at a dinner party. Instead, we will rest in Him, completely assured of His love that has declared all of us worthy.

Dear Lord, help me to walk in humility. I know that I am nothing without Christ and that with Christ I have everything. Help me to think less of myself and so much more of Jesus, who has given me life and freedom. Help me to stop exalting myself as if I need recognition, and instead rest in the fact that I am called to exalt the name of Jesus in my own life. In Jesus' name, amen.

Dec 03 2024

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. :

In this verse, which is part of the famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the gathering crowd that they should seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and that everything they need—clothes, food, shelter—will be given to them. This verse tells us a lot about the proper mindset for a Christian, and there is much we can learn from it and apply to our lives today.

It is important to note that the verse does not mean we should never think about getting a job or providing food for our families. Rather, it's telling us that these things are far less important than seeking the kingdom of God. But what does seeking the kingdom of God mean?

At its most basic, seeking the kingdom of God means that we should seek to please Him by doing the things He values in His kingdom. In other words, we should be living according to His righteousness—believing that our holiness is more important even than the clothes on our backs. The Lord knows that the most important thing in our lives is our relationship with Him, and because sin makes that relationship impossible, He wants us to be holy—living as He has guided us. This is one example of what it means to seek His kingdom first.

Once we have put God first in our lives, He will take care of the rest. This doesn't mean that we will always have what we want or think we need at any given moment. What it does mean is that He will sustain us through everything. When our eyes are focused on Him, we will be able to have peace through every circumstance, knowing that we are loved and secure in Jesus... yes, even when it seems like everything is falling apart.

Today, this verse prompts us to examine our priorities. Do our checkbooks, time logs, and conversations reveal that we are seeking God above all else, trusting that He will provide? If not, let's ask God to help us realign our lives with Jesus' words.

Dear Lord, I recognize that you are the one who provides all my needs. You fill me up, and I can never be poor when I know you for all that you are. Help me to look at my priorities candidly, facing myself so that I can see me as I am. I want to think about ways that I can start to seek your kingdom above all else. In Jesus' name, amen.