On Being Humble

“Happy are people who are humble, because they will inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5 CEB)

Humble.  Every time I hear that word I can't help but also hear the song in my head, "Oh, Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way..."  Funny song, but a little off the mark.  I don't think God wants us to not have good self-esteem and self-confidence (although our esteem and confidence should always first be in God).  I think it is more about understanding that we are no better or worse than anybody else and finding the surprise that we should be as blessed as we are.

I remember several years ago when I first started doing devotions.  Two other people and I were writing daily devotions and shared them with only each other.  At the end of the devotion we would share some things we were thankful for.  After a while, our gratitude lists got pretty predictable:  morning coffee, beautiful sunset, family, etc.  But one day, after reading news about genocide going on in a far-off country, one of my friends wrote that she was thankful that she had never been forced to watch her child tortured and killed.  Wow.  So much for my morning coffee.

But why is it you and I have never had to endure something like that?  Millions of people... no better than you or me... have had that kind of agony.  We should even be surprised that we are not in like circumstances... and be very grateful.  That is an extreme example, perhaps.  But our humility should teach us to be grateful... not just with our words, but with our heart and soul... that we are not homeless or hungry; that we have people who love us; that we have dependable vehicles.  And we should be surprised.  Maybe we work for some of those things, but for some people, no matter how hard they work, they will never have what we have.  And they are no better or worse than we are.

With this kind of humility, we can be easily and deeply grateful for every can of food in our pantry, every book on our bookshelf, every pair of shoes under our bed.  We can be amazed that we have so much and wonder why... why am I so blessed when my brother or sister is in need.  This kind of gratitude opens our hands to give, not because we think we are so great and should give to those who are beneath us, but because we can't understand why we have and they don't.

And then, when we are humble to that point, God does one of his incredible God-things and exalts us.  When we make ourselves low, God lifts us high.  And he gives us the world.

Father,
It is mostly by accident of birth that I live where I live and have what I have.  Help me to be constantly amazed and grateful.  Amen.