Category: Virtue of Humility

Humble Giving

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility1 Comment

We often think of the 12 disciples when we think of those who followed Jesus, but he had many other followers – including many women.  These women not only followed Jesus, but they provided for him and his ministry from their own means.  They give us an example of humble giving to God.

Are we following their example?  Are we providing for the ministry of our local church out of our means?  Not occasional token gifts, but true regular giving to the Lord out of what God has graciously given to us?  Have we discovered the joy of giving?

I know of numerous missionaries who are stranded in our country, unable to go to the missions field because they can’t find the support.  Yet we are the wealthiest country in the world!  This is a huge indictment upon the American church.  Are we serving God with our money or ourselves?  Are we bowing down to the Lord or materialism?

How we need to follow the example of these dear women.  How quickly we could send out these missionaries if all of God’s people regularly and joyfully gave back to God a portion of what he has given to them.  Not a meager portion.  But a generous portion for his work and his glory.  Father, grant that we would humbly give to you.

(Luke 8:1-3)

Humble Service

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility

Simon’s mother-in-law was sick when Jesus came to visit, but not for long.  Jesus healed her, and immediately she arose and began to serve.  To serve.  What an incredible example of humble service to God.  Jesus gave her health, and she served him.  Even so God has given each of us whatever level of health we have so that we might serve him.  That is the reason we exist – to serve him and in doing so bring him glory.  Are we using the health God gives us to serve him?

Serving God can take many forms, but most often it comes in the form of serving people.  Simon’s mother-in-law served God by serving not only Jesus but also the disciples.  Even so, we can serve God by serving people.  We can serve God as we serve our families.  We can serve God as we serve our employers (see Colossians 3:23-24).  We can serve God as we serve our church family.  We can serve God as we serve the poor and needy.  We can serve God as we serve our neighbors, our friends, and the list goes on.

But do we see our service to people as service to God?  Do we offer up our service to people as service to God?  How do we approach serving?  What is our attitude?

And are we using the health God has given us to serve God by serving people?  Or are we too busy serving ourselves?

Simon’s mother-in-law gives us a good example of humble service to God.  May God’s Spirit help us to follow her godly example.

(Luke 4:38-39)

Humble Worship

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility2 Comments

There was a lady named Anna.  She had been a widow for many years.  She did not depart from the temple, but worshiped God with prayer and fasting night and day.  Night and day.  24/7.  Continuously.  Constantly.  This speaks volumes about her heart…and ours.  How many of us can see ourselves doing this?  Her heart must have been ablaze with love and adoration toward God to sustain this constant humble worship.

Do we approach each day as an opportunity to worship God? To spend time with God in praise and prayer?  As we awake?  On the road?  In our spare moments?  As we go to sleep?  Even in the midst of many tasks, we can praise God and pray – do we?  Most of us can’t focus exclusively on worship like Anna did – we have families and jobs.  Yet even those activities can be offered up to God as worship – honoring him, serving him.

Are you ready to offer humble worship to God today?

(Luke 2:36-38)

Humble Submission

On By BrianIn Book of Luke, Virtue of Humility2 Comments

One day an angel visited Mary with incredible news.  She was going to be the mother of the Messiah.  She would bear the one whose coming was foretold throughout the Old Testament.  What a privilege!  But she is confused.  She isn’t married.  How can she bear a child?  The angel tells her it will be through the Holy Spirit.  It will be a miraculous, supernatural birth.

Mary’s life suddenly becomes very complicated.  She was going to have a child outside of marriage in a culture that firmly held to God’s law?  What would her fiance Joseph think?  And while a great privilege to bear the Messiah – what an incredible responsibility to raise such a child.

But her response speaks volumes about the character of this young woman.  “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.”  She is God’s servant.  She will humbly do what God says.  She gives us an incredible example of humble submission to God. She will submit to his word.

When we come to God’s Word, do we come with the attitude: “Behold I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word”?  Do we approach the Word ready to humbly submit to his authority?  To do whatever he commands?  To believe whatever he says?  To follow wherever he leads?  No matter what?  No matter how hard?  No matter whether we like it or not?  No matter what others think or say?  Do we come to the Word, ready to humbly submit to God?

The answers to these questions will have serious ramifications for our lives.  As we approach God’s Word today, this week, are we ready to humbly submit to his Word?

(Luke 1:26-38)