“For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” — Matthew 23:12
Seek Humility
In my junior year at Wheaton College, my roommate was a stud basketball player. The 6-foot-8 center had worked extremely hard both on the court and in the weight room. He went from 190 pounds his freshman year to 230 pounds his junior year. And the hard work paid off, as he earned all-conference and all-region honors his junior year.
However, as remarkable as that was, it was something he said to me one day that impressed me even more. One day in our room, he said, “Dave, don’t let me get too cocky. It’s easy to get caught up in basketball and get hot-headed. I don’t want that.”
In Matthew 23, Jesus scolds the Pharisees for their arrogance, and reminds us to stay humble. God desires for us not to become conceited, but to rely on Him. James 4:10 reminds us of this as well: “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” A few verses earlier in James 4:6, it says, “But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'”
The Book of Proverbs is full of wisdom as it relates to humility. Proverbs 11:2 says, “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” And Proverbs 15:33 says, “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.”
In whatever we do, we must remember that all our abilities are God-given. Our success pleases God, but will you let your accomplishments go to your head? Or will you be like my roommate and seek humility?
— David Noell
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