Humility … and Hubris
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 30: HUMILITY”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Years ago in high school sophomore British Literature class (do they make kids take that anymore?); I remember slugging through Shakespeare, Chaucer and other English writings that needed interpretation (Can you tell I loved the class? Sarcasm intended.)
However we did learn some cool words that while I remember little of Julius Caesar and Romeo and Juliet, I do remember genre (type of literature) and hubris (pride).
I’m not sure why I remember these words, but probably because everything we read we had to identify the genre of literature and the downfall of the lead character was usually hubris (pride).
A hero is amazing, but every hero has a propensity to hubris. Healthy pride is one’s accomplishments turns to inflated arrogance that thinks one is greater, more important, or more immune to failure than anyone else. Greek mythology often has humans fall because of their attempt to claim the powers of the gods or a position over the gods.
St. Augustine quipped, “Pride has made angels into demons.”
It’s why in the Christian church for centuries, pride has been labeled as one of the Seven Deadly Sins. In fact many would argue it is the deadliest of sins as it leads one to control self apart from any need or direction from the Lord.
Pride is deadly – physically.
On 15th April 1912, just before the Titanic was about to embark on its maiden journey, one passenger asked a ship’s agent for extra insurance on some valuables in her luggage. The agent replied, “Ridiculous. This boat’s unsinkable.”
Titanic’s Captain Edward Smith himself was asked about the safety of the Titanic. He answered – “I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.”
Then, after the ship had struck the iceberg, a passenger asked her employer if they should do something about it. He replied, “Go back to bed. This ship is unsinkable.”
Pride is deadly – spiritually.
Proverbs 16:5 “The LORD detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”
James 4:4-6 So whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 5 Or, do you think that Scripture has no reason for saying that the Spirit, who lives in us, yearns jealously? 6 But he gives greater grace! That is why it says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”
Pride leaves no room or need for the grace and mercy of God.
Which is why pride is a deadly sin and needs us all to repent of it. It’s not just the Titantic Captain that suffered from pride, we all do. We all want to be the top; be invincible; call all the shots. Our sinful nature wants us to think we are more than we are and in no need of a God to tell us different.
Time for repentance and humility.
James continues in 4:7 “So, submit yourselves to God. Resist the Devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God, and he will come near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded people. 9 Lament, mourn, and weep. Let your laughter be changed into mourning and your joy into gloom. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will lift you up.”
With the Spirit of God’s help, we will humble ourselves and learn humility this week from the humility Jesus showed for us.
Apply: How has pride led to failure in your life? What did you learn? For what did you repent?
Prayer: Lord God, forgive and drive out all hubris from my life that I may walk in humility before you and all people. AMEN.
Gentleness…Turns away wrath!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 29: GENTLENESS”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
How many conflicts have you been involved in that escalated because the tone and volume of voices continued to increase?
I have been at the receiving end of some pretty direct and harsh criticism. I feel my heartrate increase. I feel my defenses come up. I am ready as soon as the other person is done talking to not only defend myself but to attack back.
This doesn’t go well.
Does it work for you?
I doubt it. Wrath returned with wrath just creates more wrath. In fact, if never resolved creates division, hurt, and sometimes lifetime rifts in relationships.
So in one short statement of wisdom, Solomon guides us in a different direction.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath.”
I have found that when people are upset at me a few things are true.
- They are upset – their emotions are valid.
- They are directing their frustration at me – which has some percentage of truth to it.
- They are wanting understanding and resolution – even if they aren’t articulating it well.
So here’s what I’ve learned that helps to return a harsh word with gentleness.
- Remember it’s not about you. (Even though it will feel that way.)
- Listen. Listen. (When you listen, really listen to understand, you will get an opportunity to clarify any misunderstood or false statements.)
- Validate the emotion. (I see this has really upset you.)
- Summarize the issue. (From what I am hearing, _______ is what is making you upset.)
- Apologize: (Find the 1% or more that is your fault and apologize. Let go of pride and needing to be right.)
- Restore: (Affirm the relationship. Seek the pathway forward to avoid the issue in the future.)
- Clarify: (May I explain my side? Clarify, if needed, what happened to seek understanding and restoration.
- Do all with gentleness. (Use the power of the Spirit to refrain from lashing out or spewing anger. Respond with a heart of love and words of gentleness. The strength of your response is not in the volume or in attack, but in the spirit of love and restoration that God drives in you and through you.
How is this working? Very well. The conflict is much shorter. Understanding is reached. The dialogue is productive and the relationship is strengthened.
I’ve learned “winning an argument” often is at the expense of damaging a relationship. Responding to wrath with anger simply creates more wrath and anger – not fruits of the Spirit, but fruits of the sinful nature.
So repent. You are covered with the blood of Jesus. With the Spirit’s help, next time there is a heated word directed at you, turn away wrath with a gentle answer.
Apply: Simply try returning a harsh word with a gentle word and see how the Lord blesses it.
Prayer: Lord forgive me for letting my anger add to someone else’s anger. Thank you for always speaking the truth in love to my soul, forgiving my sin, and empowering me with your Spirit to turn away wrath with a gentle answer. AMEN.
Gentleness…What if…?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 29: GENTLENESS”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Titus 3:1-2 Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.
What if we would all wake up with this reminder on our mirror?
What if our president and governing officials did?
What if the media before they wrote or went on air had this reminder in front of them?
What if the CEO of our company posted this so all could see each day?
What if our families embraced this as we went off to school, work, and the day’s activities?
What if I embraced this personally as I went through my day?
Can you already begin to sense stress release, tensions begin to calm, and the division at every turn begin to ease?
I can.
But that’s what happens when our sinful nature is put under the control of Christ and the power of the Spirit of God shows more often and evidently in my life and the lives of others. The Lord knows that my sinful nature and that of every person in society naturally drags us down a path to be disobedient, a tendency toward selfish evil, protecting my reputation over someone else’s, thinking myself better than another, and allowing my pride to run rampant.
I need the reminder. So do you.
At the heart of it is gentleness, or here translated, “considerate.” Gentleness responds with a respect and humility toward another person. Gentleness isn’t trying to “one-up” or “outdo” another person, but to come alongside them. Gentleness seeks to understand, give respect, and honor those God has put around us and over us. It’s just what God’s people do.
We treat people with consideration, with gentleness.
When we follow Jesus and walk in step with the Spirit of God, it is always the best way to believe and live. The Lord loves to bless as we follow his loving commands. In fact all his commands are not burdensome because all of his command are intended for our blessing!
James sees the blessing of understanding and living the wisdom of God. He says in 3:17: But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.
Once again a key characteristic of godly wisdom is consideration. It’s thinking of others before yourself. It is seeking peace over conflict, mercy over violence, purity over evil.
It’s just what we do when we live forgiven in Christ and guided by the wisdom of God.
Apply: Write Titus 3:1-2 on a card and put on your mirror. Let it remind you every day for a week. Note how your interactions and relationships change as a result.
Prayer: Forgive me Lord for times and days where I exhibit everything but your love and consideration. Empower and remind me by your Spirit “to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men.” AMEN.
Gentleness…Don’t break me!
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 29: GENTLENESS”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
What do you do when the candles on your birthday cake are still smoking? Perhaps you blow harder, or you lick your fingers and snuff out the remaining spark.
What do you do when you are in the garden and you see a branch that is alive, but is broken and seems to be dying? Probably either break or cut it off.
Perhaps as a kid you tried to see if you could get the candle to come back to life, but I don’t know anyone who would take a broken branch and try to splice it back together or somehow preserve it’s life.
It’s easier to snuff it out or break it off.
Unless you are the Lord and the wick and the branch are you and me.
Isaiah 42:3-4 says, “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.”
Matthew quoted these verses (12:15-21) as one of the prophesies Jesus fulfilled. How did he fulfill it?
15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. Many followed him, and he healed all their sick, 16 warning them not to tell who he was. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:
18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,
the one I love, in whom I delight;
I will put my Spirit on him,
and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
19 He will not quarrel or cry out;
no one will hear his voice in the streets.
20 A bruised reed he will not break,
and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out,
till he leads justice to victory.
21 In his name the nations will put their hope.”
Jesus didn’t break people off or snuff them out, he healed them. As we looked at in yesterday’s devotion, he is gentle and humble at heart. His desire was to help people physically, but more importantly spiritually. When he saw someone ill, he healed them. Matthew indicates that people intentionally brought the sick out to see Jesus. Someone about to die? Jesus didn’t snuff them out…he healed them. Someone broken and couldn’t walk? Jesus healed them.
But most importantly he wanted to fan into flames, and strengthen bruised reeds spiritually. Matthew says of Isaiah’s words, “In his name the nations will put their hope.”
Jesus used his power to heal and restore, not break and crush. He uses his power to heal and restore us, spiritually.
King David said in Psalm 51:17 “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.”
God could crush our broken spirits heart, but he doesn’t. He chooses to be gentle and uses his power to forgive, restore and bring new life to our souls.
With the gentle love and forgiveness of the Lord, we always have a reason to have hope.
Apply: How has the Lord restored you when you felt like a smoldering wick or bruised reed?
Prayer: Lord, thank you for using your power to gently restore me, a smoldering wick and bruised reed. AMEN.
Gentleness…power under control.
Devotions this week based on the Message: “BELIEVE: Week 29: GENTLENESS”
(NOTE: This sermon series and devotional series is based on a book by Randy Frazee entitled, “BELIEVE.”
You may choose to download or purchase the book as a supplement to your worship and devotional emails.)
Gentleness is power under control.
The question becomes then, “If one has the power to react and chooses not to, why is that?”
There is no better place to go than to the Lord Jesus. As with all the characteristics we have been looking at, the Lord is the place to go to understand them in their perfection and how they are applied to us.
Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
This phrase is fascinating to reflect on (please share yours). We often focus on the first phrase, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” But yet he doesn’t just invite us to rest on a recliner in our living room, he invites us to take up a yoke and learn from him.
A yoke was put over the shoulders of work animals so they could pull together the load that was behind them. Reading about yoking oxen, the reality is that two oxen pulling together can pull up to two-times the load the two could individually. However, the pair must work together, even if one ox is stronger than the other. So oxen that are self-centered, unable to work with someone else do not make the cut to plow the field.
When Jesus invites us to “yoke” with him, he a) makes our burden lighter, but b) he reminds us who he is, “gentle and humble in heart.”
He is not going to use his power to over power or burden us more. He is not going to be self-centered and refuse to pull a step more. His gentleness is his willingness to walk in step with us. He didn’t have too. We’ve given him many reasons why we have no business being yoked with him. However, he has no arrogance or pride to uphold. He humbles himself and becomes a servant to us and with us to carry the loads of life, but more importantly the load of sin.
When you think of a family carrying their bags through the airport to catch a flight, the youngest child may say, “I can’t keep up, my backpack is too heavy.” Dad doesn’t then put his own back pack on the shoulders of his child, rather he takes the pack and holds his hand to lighten the burden and move forward to catch the flight.
Jesus acts as a gentle, loving father who carries his child’s burdens and walks with him through life. He controls the full use of his divine power to walk with us and give rest for our souls.
Apply: What burdens are you trying to carry, that Jesus invites and is willing to carry for us. What picture of gentleness describes Jesus’ relationship with you?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for being gentle and humble to walk with me and carry my burdens. AMEN.