In Honor of Humility

For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.Isaiah 57:15

There is, in these United States, an affection for labels. We label everything from food to furniture, from lotions to lumber. We have even chosen to label generations. We have baby boomers, baby busters, generation Xers….

Because of this propensity to paste on descriptive labels I hesitate to add yet another. Nevertheless, I suspect that most readers will concur with the idea that our present age could be labeled as “Proud” or “Arrogant”. We see it in the world of sports. When was the last time you heard an interview that didn’t drip with “in your face” arrogance? At least every four years we observe it in the political arena. I wonder what would happen if a candidate would speak kindly of his opponent and refuse to resort to “mud slinging”? It is as easily discerned in parents as it is children. It invades the world of the corporate executive as well as that of the common laborer.

Living in such a world the child of God must be careful to remember that the One who inhabits eternity chooses to dwell with those who are humble. Strong condemnations of the proud are found from one end of the Bible to the other. In fact it is true that the biblical picture of pride is never a good picture. These observations compel the sensitive believer to abhor all evidence of pride in his own life and to diligently pursue humility. We have found it impossible to know the heart of another person and have learned that outward expressions of humility can at times be misleading. At the same time we have experienced the work of the Holy Ghost in our own lives either convicting of the sin of pride or confirming the presence of genuine humility.

Today would be a great time to ask the God who searches the inward man to try your heart and reveal it’s true nature. Then again tomorrow, and Tuesday, and Wednesday …… I’m beginning to see a pattern here. May God work in each of our lives to produce a pattern of genuine humility, lowliness of spirit.