-March 31, 2022-
Good morning, happy Thursday,
“For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.”
(Romans 12:3).
Right thinking about ourselves is so very important. Paul was the greatest apostle, missionary, preacher, and teacher of the Word; yet he was also one of the most humble servants of Christ. Paul knew, and taught us to recognize that everything we have is from God, we don’t deserve any of God’s blessings, and without the Lord we can do nothing. We are unworthy but not worthless in God’s sight.
Being humble is thinking soberly. We are not better than anyone else, and we should esteem others as better than ourselves. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3-4, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” When we have the mind of Christ, we will be humble servants. Moses, for example, though one of the greatest leaders ever, was so humble. Numbers 12:3 says of him, “Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.”
We should not feel comfortable speaking of ourselves, nor should we brag of our accomplishments. We need to remember that we are and always will be sinners saved by grace. The hymn writer James M. Gray wrote, “Naught I have gotten but what I received; grace hath bestowed it since I have believed; boasting excluded, pride I abase; I’m only a sinner saved by grace.”
God can use those who are a humble, broken, and emptied of self. James wrote, “But He gives more grace, therefore He says, ‘God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble’” (James 4:6). He also says in James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of God, and He will lift you up.” The humble person gives God all the glory all the time.
May the Lord help us to have the right mindset, as we live for the Lord and serve Him: not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. Let us esteem others better than ourselves and serve the Lord humbly.
Have a blessed and humble day not thinking of ourselves but of others. Stay safe and healthy.
In His grace and service,
Dean
Dean Allen's Daily Devotional 