The Quiet Power of Humility
As people grow older, they often begin to "soften" in more ways than one. Perhaps most importantly, many develop softer hearts. The passing decades have a way of humbling us. We become more aware of our limitations, less certain of ourselves, and more appreciative of others.
Our culture often views this softening with suspicion. Is it genuine humility, or is it simply a loss of drive, conviction, or backbone? And even when humility is recognized, it is rarely celebrated. The public square tends to reward confidence, self-promotion, and independence far more than meekness and humility.
God's economy, however, is very different.
Both James, the brother of Jesus, and Peter, one of His closest followers, wrote:
"God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble." (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5)
That's a sobering statement. God opposes pride because pride ultimately opposes Him.
Scripture tells us that the proud do not seek God and make no room for Him in their thoughts (Psalm 10:4). If fa...
How To Be Lifted
As people get older, they are prone to “soften” in more ways than one. Most importantly, people’s hearts tend to get softer – and they become humbler as the decades start ticking away. Much of our culture looks at this softening process with suspicion, wondering if it’s the fruit of humility or lack of backbone and/or drive. Even if it is humility, the public square often doesn’t honor the character of humility. Yet, God’s economy is quite different.
Both James (the brother of Jesus) and Peter (one of His closest followers) wrote, “God opposes the proud, but shows favor to the humble.” (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5) God opposes those who exhibit pride – because they are opposing Him. When people act in a prideful way, they are not seeking God – and Scripture declares they are also not making room for Him in their thoughts. (Psalm 10:4) If not seeking God, and not including Him in our thoughts are marks of pride –– many of us are often practically living in a prideful way.
Why is pride suc...
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