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Humility

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:12 ESV)

Humility. We all struggle with it. Whether it’s false humility, shallow humility or a complete lack of humility - our pride wages a daily war against our souls.

Jesus spoke these words in the ears of the Pharisees because they walked around exalting themselves amongst the people. They had false righteousness. In the same passage Jesus calls them white washed tombs. Death inside a perfectly preserved outer package.

Every time I come across this passage I do a pride check. Or rather, I search my character to see how I can be humbled. I always want to take the first step of humility, because, frankly, I greatly fear being humbled by the Lord.

As I think of the passage further though, it’s his spirit that drives in me a desire to decrease so that he can increase. My desire is to always exalt myself. It’s my sin in me wanting notoriety.

David thought thought he got away with his sin concerning Bathsheba and Uriah. After all he was king, the highest in the land. He pushed his crown around, the crown the Lord had given him, to do what he wished. He took what he wanted when he wanted and secretly, so he thought, dealt with the consequences.

Then Nathan the prophet came to David and openly accused him of his sin. Nothing David did was hidden from God. David thought his earthly authority had given him complete autonomy. His pride, as it were, hoodwinked him into thinking he was above even the law of God.

Pride is a scary sin. It fools us. It tricks us. It tells us what we want to hear and hides from us the truth of Gods word. It inflates us to the point of seeing only what we desire, because we become all that matters.

How have I exalted myself? Because I have. It could be a thought or an action of the most minuscule measure. As a wildfire starts from a spark, pride will consume me if not constantly kept in check.

Seek humility today. In every way. Humble yourself, and at the right time your heavenly father will lift you up.

Be blessed, praying for you,
Mario

Forgive

And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ Matthew 18:33

Jesus is telling his followers a parable of a ruler (God) and a servant (us). As the ruler demanded payment for a debt the servant couldn’t pay, the servant got down on his knees and begged forgiveness and promised to pay. Out of his graciousness the ruler relented and forgave the whole debt.

Following this forgiveness, the servant went out and found a fellow servant that owed him a small amount of money. Upon not being able to pay, the forgiven servant threw the fellow servant in jail until he paid.

The ruler finds this out and asks the question “And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?”

For those of us who have been forgiven, saved from the wrath of God, we should live out that forgiveness in our relationships with each other. Our debt to the Lord could never be paid. Our sin separated us so horribly from our father that the only one that could redeem us was God. He was the only one with the power to rescue us. He is the only one that can forgive us that debt, because He paid the price with his son Jesus Christ.

So, we have been rescued, saved, and forgiven; shouldn’t we also seek to forgive the small things that separate us, one from another?

Whatever the problem. Whatever the situation. It’s not worth the weight, stress, pain and burden that unforgiveness brings. It’s been called spiritual poison. It slowly makes is bitter and resentful. Then our heart becomes hard.

Just like 1% deception makes the truth a lie, 1% unforgiveness makes love, well, hate.

We are either going to choose to truly love one another, and forgive as He forgave, or we’re not.

Is their someone on your heart right now that you need to forgive? Is there someone on your heart right now, that because of your sin of unforgiveness, you need to ask to forgive you?

It’s not worth it. Sin separates us from the Lord, even a small amount of sin is a chasm between us and him.

Release all of it to your Lord and savior. Cast all onto him, he’ll carry it. Release all of your pain and frustration, he’ll heal you.

Forgive much, because you have been forgiven of all.

Be blessed today,
Mario

Psalm 139:23, 24 ESV

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!

JOY

Joy

Burning inside

Burning inside