Tag Archives: Humility

No Longer Following at a Distance

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Then they seized Him and led Him away, bringing Him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. Luke 22:54 ESV1

Read Matthew 26:31-35, 69-75; Mark 14:27-31, 66-72; Luke 22:31-34, 54-62; John 13:36-38, 18:15-18, 25-27, 21:15-19; Acts 2:14, 22-24, 36-41

Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus because he was only in a relationship with Jesus for what he could gain.2 Peter denied Jesus, but his fault was for a totally different reason. Peter dearly loved Jesus and wasn’t shy about proclaiming his devotion to Him. But Peter didn’t have what it took to keep his promises to Jesus.

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Knowing What You’ve Got

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Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God, and was going back to God … John 13:3 ESV1

Read John 13:1-17

If you had a money tree in your room that produced $100 bills and every time you picked one, two more grew back in its place, would you be stingy with your spending? Wouldn’t there be something seriously wrong with your thinking if you lived in poverty? Likewise, wouldn’t you be incredibly selfish if you refused to be generous?

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Perplexing Questions

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“What do you think about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” Matthew 22:42a ESV1

Read Matthew 22:41-46, Mark 12:35-37 & Luke 20:41-44

One Monday morning, in Geography class, we were given a pop quiz. Each of us students was presented with a blank map of the United States and was asked to fill in the names of the states in the correct position. Some students panicked because they were unable to perform the task. But relief spread over these students when they were told that the activity had been only a pretest. The actual test would come on Friday. We were given the week to study with the warning to make the week count because anyone who did not receive a perfect grade on the final test would have to study and retake the test while everyone else was attending the Friday afternoon special assembly.

Since I could quickly identify all of the states on the pretest, I didn’t bother studying. I wasn’t worried about the consequence because I was confident I could easily ace the test. But, to my dismay, when the test day came, I could not for the life of me remember the name of the tiny triangular-shaped state just east of Maryland. Humiliated, I was forced to stay back from the anticipated gathering and retake the test.

My pride in thinking I knew all the answers for this particular test is what got me into trouble. I really did not know what I thought I knew. The Pharisees, a prominent religious group during Jesus’ time on Earth, thought they knew more about the coming Messiah than they really did. It was their pride in their knowledge of Scripture that caused them to have issues with Jesus, the very One they thought they were ready to welcome.

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The Best Seats in the House

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“When you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you.” Luke 14:10 ESV1

Read Luke 14:7-14

When talking about the theater or some other venue, the best seats in the house are the ones that afford the optimal view of the performance or activity. Sometimes, these favorable seats are reserved for special people like celebrities and heads of State. These preferred seats are usually the most expensive. The amount a person is willing to spend on a particular seat is directly related to how much he/she either desires to observe the event or how much he/she wishes to be seen as important in that context.

Jesus had a little something to say about desiring the best seats in the house.

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Approaching the Throne of God

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 “I tell you; this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 18:14 ESV1

Read Luke 18:9-14

There is a protocol for greeting a member of the English Royal Family:

“For men, this is a neck bow (from the head only) whilst women do a small curtsy. Other people prefer simply to shake hands in the usual way. On presentation to The Queen, the correct formal address is ‘Your Majesty’ and subsequently ‘Ma’am,’ pronounced with a short ‘a,’ as in ‘jam’. For male members of the Royal Family, the same rules apply, with the title used in the first instance being ‘Your Royal Highness’ and subsequently ‘Sir’. For other female members of the Royal Family the first address is conventionally ‘Your Royal Highness’ and subsequently ‘Ma’am’.”2

There is a proper way to address the President of the United States.

“In direct oral address – actually speaking to the President – the President is addressed as: Mr. President—His given name or surname are not used in his presence. This pattern of not using the name is typical around the world when addressing the highest officials—chiefs of state, heads of government, speakers of houses, chief justices, and a very few others. Listen to a White House news conference: Reporters addressing the POTUS as Mr. President are doing it correctly.”3

There is also an appropriate way to come before the King of the Universe.

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Who’s Your Daddy?

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“Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 18:3-4 ESV1

Read Matthew 18:1-14, Mark 9:33-50 & Luke 9:46-50

In my life, I have worn a variety of hats. My different responsibilities have put me in positions where I have observed many arguments. Some of these arguments have been laughable, others hurtful. Many were passionate discussions which worked out themselves; others become quite heated and needed intervention.

When working with people, it doesn’t take long to discover competition is part of the human make up. We instinctively want to be on top. We tend to assume we are right, and when there are conflicts, we feel others must be wrong. We humans continually evaluate where we fit in any given group. From the time we are children, we compare ourselves and consciously (or unconsciously) compete in attempts to be the best, the fastest, the smartest, the prettiest, the most talented, etc.

An argument common among young boys takes the competition past their own abilities and focuses on the attributes of their fathers. It is not unusual, from time to time, to hear a boy exclaim, “My daddy is stronger than your daddy!” The argument need not necessarily focus on strength; maybe a boy claims his father is smarter, or richer (or any other appropriate adjective) than the fathers of those around him. But the statement is always made with the child’s confident expectation that his assertion will put him on top and finalize the argument.

Once, when Jesus’ twelve closest disciples were arguing among themselves, Jesus extinguished the heated debate by drawing their attention to the greatness of His Father.

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To See or Not to See

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Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” John 9:39 ESV1

Read John 9:1-41

“After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea [where Jerusalem was], because the Jews were seeking to kill Him. [But] the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand” (John 7:1-2). The Feast of Booths, also known as The Feast of Tabernacles, is a time of remembering the LORD’s faithfulness toward His people, the Israelites, during the forty years they wandered in the wilderness after being freed from slavery to Egypt. It is an eight-day feast with the first and last days being Sabbath days. It is immediately followed by an additional Sabbath day which marks the beginning of the year’s cycle of Torah readings. This Feast was one of the three mandated Feasts which all able-bodied Jewish men were commanded to journey to Jerusalem to attend.

Because His life was in danger, Jesus considered not attending the Feast (see John 7:8). When He did decide to go, He tried to remain out of the public eye (see John 7:10). But He did not remain hidden for long. “About the middle of the Feast, Jesus went up into the temple and began teaching” (John 7:14). I believe, at that point, He realized there was more work that needed to be done (see John 9:4-5), and that even though threats abounded, He was in no real danger, “because His hour had not yet come” (John 8:20b). It wasn’t yet time for Him to give up His earthly life, and God’s plan would trump the plans of man.

This truth was evidenced by the fact that during the Feast week, there were five unsuccessful attempts to arrest Him (see John 7:30, 32, 44-46 & John 8:5-6, 20), and one failed undertaking to kill Him (see John 8:59). Jesus remained safe as He boldly proclaimed the truth. In the process, “many of the people [listening] believed in Him” (John 7:31a, also see John 8:30). Jesus’ visit to Jerusalem was a special blessing for one man in particular; because of Jesus, the whole trajectory of this man’s life was changed for time and eternity.

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It’s Not About Me

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“He must increase, but I must decrease.” John 3:30 ESV1

Read John 3:22-4:3

One day, “Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, and He remained there with them and was baptizing” (John 3:22) … Although Jesus Himself did not baptize, but only His disciples” (John 4:2). Jesus’ ministry was getting more and more visibility. Many of the people who heard Him speak and saw His miracles wanted to get right with God. To show their commitment to a changed life, they desired baptism. Jesus’ disciples were happy to help. But, without their realizing it, their actions began to cause an uproar.

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