“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.” — James 4:10
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My best friend, Dan, attended Central High School in Louisville, Kentucky, the alma mater of Muhammad Ali. We became roommates in college during our sophomore year. He is an average-sized guy, about 6 feet tall. As a basketball player, I was much taller and spent a lot of time in the gym.
One day, we were horsing around and things got physical. I put my hands up to slap box and said, “Let’s go!” Before I could blink, Dan hit me with a three-piece combination, though it might have been a five-piece; his hands were moving so fast! It turns out Dan was a two-time Golden Gloves state champion, and Ali was his hero. You would think he would have shared such an incredible accomplishment with me, but he never did. I had to find out the hard way!
I’ve discovered that the humble among us possess a quiet confidence in their gifts and see no need to brag or show off. They just put in the work and let their abilities speak for themselves.
The wisdom of Proverbs 18:12 (CSB) teaches us, “Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” It’s always good to do your best and let God handle the rest because “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).
As followers of Christ, we are to walk in humility as we learn to trust in the Lord.
— Jerry Birch, Cleveland Cavaliers chaplain
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