'humility' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
1 Kings 3:5-12…“Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, able to discern between good and evil; for who can govern this your great people?” vs. 9 The second book of Samuel gives a lengthy account of how Solomon, with the help of his mother, Bathsheba, outmaneuvered his older brothers to ascend to the throne of David. As the story continues in the book of 1 Kings we read how Solomon went to one of the hill…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 13:24-30…“But he replied, ‘No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. Let both of them grow together until the harvest;’” vss. 29-30a Those who believe that God is going to deal with the problem of wickedness in the world by gathering the wicked on the last day and casting them into the flames of hell, love this parable. Since they presumably assume that they are the good seed, it must give them some…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 11:25-30…“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” vss 28-29 Again and again Jesus revealed his compassion to the harassed and helpless folks who scrambled to hear his words and feel his healing touch. He wasn’t like any religious or political leader of…
Daily Devotions
Zechariah 9:9-12…“Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” vs. 9 When the Babylonian exiles returned to Judea, they were full of hope and anticipated that this might be the beginning of a new era for Israel, but their dreams quickly dissipated as old rivalries surfaced and the different factions began jockeying for…
Daily Devotions
1 Peter 5:6-11…”Discipline yourselves; keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour.” vs. 8 We can’t be sure if the disciple Peter was really the person who wrote the epistle bearing his name. But if it was, he certainly knew what he was talking about. He probably never forgot the day in Galilee, when Jesus, just after calling him the Rock, humbled him in front of his peers by saying, “Get…
Daily Devotions
Philippian 2:5-7a…“Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,” vs. 5 Sometimes we think of ourselves as being different from Jesus, as though he behaved and acted as he did because he had a special relationship with God, one that we do not have. Often we hear people excusing their own broken behaviors with the words, “Well, only one man was perfect and that was Jesus!” While Paul doesn’t weigh in on that issue in his…
Daily Devotions
Matthew 4:1-11… “Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! for it is written, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve only him.’” vs. 10 Having savored the love and the goodness of God in his baptism Jesus was led into the wilderness for a taste of the world’s brokenness. And as he prayed and fasted, he pondered the direction of his ministry. There were so many possibilities. We know this part of the story well. Everywhere we look there…
Daily Devotions
Psalm 112:1-9… “They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.” vss. 4-5 Like Jesus, the psalmist knew that there were good and decent people, and he describes them as gracious, merciful, righteous, generous, and just. He even says that they are a light for the upright, and that they will be blessed. We know such…
Daily Devotions
Micah 6:1-8… “He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” vs. 8 Micah imagines a controversy between Israel and the Lord which has come to trial. In spite of all the Lord had done for Israel, the people had been faithless and wearisome in return. After hearing the charges, Israel wonders what should have been done…
Daily Devotions
The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost.” vs. 15 1 Timothy 1:15-17 One of the ways that we can tell a saint from a hypocrite is that the saint will make no pretense of being anything but a sinner. If we marvel at the words of St. Paul about his own miserable and broken life, our jaws will drop wide open when we…
Daily Devotions
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” vs. 13 Luke 14:12-14 Jesus doesn’t seem to care if his host was offended by his parting remarks. In fact, he’s oblivious to the social conventions that are so important in our world. When we interact with others, whether inviting folks over to our homes for a meal, or going out to eat with friends and acquaintances, most people are always keeping a record,…
Daily Devotions
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.” vs. 1 Luke 14:1, 7-11 Jesus interacted with a variety of people, and he often accepted dinner invitations from his opponents. On this occasion he was in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and Luke notes that they were watching him closely. They knew that he was unpredictable and that…