Stay Humble
This week God has been teaching me several things about myself. One of these things was humbleness. Let me tell you, we all need a lesson or two in humbleness. When the Lord graces you with this lesson, listen to it. You might learn a little about yourself.
Wowing at work
As most of you know, I am a 2nd grade teacher. I moved schools at the end of last school year. I felt a shift happening and needed to go with it. I enjoyed my old school but felt like it was no longer where I needed to be. As a teacher at a new school, I was blessed with new opportunities. I am now grateful to be teaching virtually, where when this all started, I was disappointed. This week my principal and I walked out of the building at the same time. She told me, “Mrs.Rex, I am so glad you are on board here at Lillington-Shawtown. I sure did get a good one when I got you. You are a good teacher. Here’s where God brought my attention to my need for humbleness. I was grateful for the complement. After all, it felt good to hear such an affirmation from my principal. However, I felt I deserved it. I honestly was feeling pretty good about this whole teaching virtual thing and that I was rocking it. I felt entitled to a complement. I know I am not the best teacher and I will continue to put my best foot forward with a positive mindset for these kiddos. God continues to show me my need for Him.
Waning for Work
Needless to say I was feeling good about myself at work! I was putting in all the long hours planning my little fingers off. I would work at school, come home and work until I had to go to bed to do it again. I say this not to toot my own horn, or even complain but to make a point. I had limits. God shows me very clearly, I have limits. I need sleep, I can’t do it all, I need balance, I need. Period. Working as a teacher these days, you may think that it should be easier. Physically yes, Mentally no. I have limitations, as a multi-tasker and a person who likes to stay busy, I hate that I have to be limited. And that’s where God comes in and teaches me about myself.
Learning Through a Loved One
So this weekend is the weekend before my birthday and God is truly on top of this humbleness track, chugging with His train straight to me. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Just in the past couple of days, God has taught me through two people I love just how limited and selfish I can be. I know that I am an Otter (I can tell you more about what I mean later) but in a few words, I am forgetful and I don’t plan things very well. (But you’re a teacher) I know, but in my personal life its not as well thought out. To me I think that birthday’s are meant to be special. Through my selfishness, I didn’t think that anything special was going to happen for my birthday. Considering I enjoy attention from others, I wanted more on my birthday. God was showing me how prideful I was being and how birthday’s are special without all of that.
The second way God showed me a new version of my limitation is that I am inconsistent and borderline unreliable. I can give you a list of ways I am broken and sinful and human. But unreliable struck me hard. Last week, I made plans to learn about basic hand gun training from my Father-in-law for this weekend. I am not going to make excuses about why that didn’t happen. Instead, him and my mother-in-law and my family went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. Needless to say, my father in law had planned to teach me basic hand gun and I planned over that. When I realized this massive flaw in me, I felt awful. I realized, it wasn’t the first time that I had done it. A few weeks ago, I postponed a phone call with a friend to do something else. You may not think thats a big deal, but the point of the matter is, when you say you are going to do something you should do it. God showed me that I fell short and that’s why I need His grace.
Grateful for Humbleness
God will teach you things that you may not think applies to you until it hits you in the face. God gracefully shows you what you need to learn, even if you don’t want to hear it. Well, this week, at some point each day, God sat me down like a good Dad and spoke tenderly and lovingly with wisdom about how I needed to be humble in my life. This week I have been reading through Ezekiel and Daniel how God humbled His people and the Babylonians because of how arrogant they became. (that’s sugar coating it, go read Ezekiel and Daniel). Just this morning I read this,
20“But when his heart and mind were puffed up with arrogance, he was brought down from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. 21 He was driven from human society. He was given the mind of a wild animal, and he lived among the wild donkeys. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he learned that the Most High God rules over the kingdoms of the world and appoints anyone he desires to rule over them.
22 “’You are his successor,[a] O Belshazzar, and you knew all this, yet you have not humbled yourself. 23 For you have proudly defied the Lord of heaven and have had these cups from his Temple brought before you. You and your nobles and your wives and concubines have been drinking wine from them while praising gods of silver, gold, bronze, iron, wood, and stone—gods that neither see nor hear nor know anything at all. But you have not honored the God who gives you the breath of life and controls your destiny! 24 So God has sent this hand to write this message.”‘ Daniel 5:20-21
I mean if that isn’t as clear as day to what God is trying to tell me, I am not sure what it is. Although, I am not worshiping idols made of wood or metal, I have been idolizing myself or even how others think of me. Even though this is Old Testament, it clearly shows how God feels about arrogant people. God makes it clear to be humble throughout the bible, after all even Jesus, who deserves the utmost Glory, humbled Himself as low as a cross.
12Â “Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” Colossians 3:12
“For the Lord delights in his people;
    he crowns the humble with victory” Psalm 149:4
6 “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” 1 Peter 5:6-7
That last one right there really makes me think of the world right now. God shows me through my strong opinions as well, how I need to be humble. Everyone and their brother have a different opinion these days and they feel like it needs to be heard, mine included. However, when was the last time it mattered what our opinions were? God gives us a free will to make our own decisions, but I also rather put my attention on the truth than anyone’s opinion, even my own. The truth is we (that includes me) need humbleness or we are headed for a very painful downfall. We need to be humble enough to trust the God who gives us breathe to guide us through the challenges of our daily life.
Considering all that, I pray dearly, that God writes this lesson on my mind and heart so I do not soon forget it. I know that God forgives me as I ask and give it to Him, I can not dwell on my past mistakes but listen carefully to my Lord. By His teaching, strength, and Holy Spirit become more in His likeness.
More in His Likeness.
Jesus is the most sincere and true example of humbleness. We are made to be in His likeness by the Holy Spirit working in us as much as we allow it to. To recognize the need for Christ more and more, though truly humbling, is an enlightening lesson. I encourage you to take some time and really think about where your heart is these days. Humble? Arrogant? both?
- How are you? Really?
- What are you seeking for and why? Are you seeking things for yourself? others?
- Do you like attention or do you feel you deserve something?
- Are you considering others in you daily walk?
- How can you recognize your need for Jesus throughout the day?
- Make a list of things you have. Did you get these on your own? did you need something to get them?
Please pray with me for our nation and our own hearts, that we would be humble enough to seek and trust Him, not our own strength.
—-LOVE, Amber
