Your daily dose of true beauty advice…
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. -James 4:10
Hit the concordance key on your computer Bible software, type in the word “pride” or “proud,” and watch a zillion verses pop up. All of them detail how the Lord detests haughty eyes, boastful tongues, and hearts bloated by ego. Never was there a character trait more opposite of God.
In our best moments, we want very much to be like God, to be godly…yet what an invitation to pride! That’s why it always requires humility…
An old Puritan wrote: “Let me never forget that the heinousness of sin lies not so much in the nature of sin committed, as in the greatness of the person sinned against.”
If we’re looking for humility, we don’t gaze inward to see how greatly we’ve missed the mark. We gaze at the Lord Jesus. We drag ourselves to the cross where our pride is suffocated! “Self” becomes “hid with Christ in God,” and humility is the result.
Asking the Holy Spirit to roll up His sleeves and deal with pride in your hearts, may involve several things (I speak from experience!). It may include opening yourself to the valid criticism of others, openly confessing your faults, or inviting your spouse or close friend to point out your blind spots. Easy? Never! Rewarding? Always.
~Joni Eareckson Tada in “A Spirit of Humility,” Joni and Friends Daily Devotional, May 27 2012
Photo: OBMonkey
Just what I needed this morning…Thanks, Missy. Make it a great day!