HUMILITY always comes before EXALTATION!
October
27 Bible Reading: Luke Chapters 16-18
HUMILITY always comes before EXALTATION!
"For
everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be
exalted." (Luke 18:14)
Our Lord Jesus
spoke the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (vv. 9–14) to people
who prided themselves on being righteous, and who despised all others as
inferior. He reminded them that it is this spirit of self-humiliation and
repentance that is acceptable to God. God
exalts the humble, but He humbles those who exalt themselves!
Although the
Pharisee went through the motions of prayer, he was really not speaking to God.
He was so proud of himself that he started off his prayer with a comparison: “God, I thank you that I am not like other
men”. Instead of comparing himself with God’s perfect standard and seeing
how sinful he really was, he compared himself with others in the community and
prided himself on being better.
The tax collector
was a striking contrast. Standing before God, he sensed his own utter
unworthiness. He did not think of himself as one sinner among many, but as the
sinner who was unworthy of anything from God. This man shows us the path to
true identity. It is based on honesty about ourselves and becoming like Christ!
Thus, Jesus
identified the contrast between the Pharisee and the tax collector as one
between pride and humility, between those who exalt and those who humble
themselves. God will bring down the proud and will exalt the humble. The
Pharisee relied on his own merits, not having discovered that no human
righteousness is sufficient before a God who demands perfection (Matt. 5:48).
The tax collector relied on God’s mercy and found it.
True prayer
should humble us and make us love others more. We should be like children
coming to a Father when we pray. Let us remember that humility always comes before exaltation!
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble". Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:5-7)
