Humble

 Luke 18:14 ESV

I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”


Jesus's story was counterintuitive. The religious man wasn't accepted by God. The tax collector was justified by God.

We assume we have to be proud, dominant, assertive. Yet as far as God's concerned, we should be humble, meek, and even submissive. Ephesians 5 says that we should submit to one another out of reverence to Christ, who submits to his Father, even though equal with him.

Pride was the original sin. We might belittle bigging ourselves up, but God hates arrogance. We must humble ourselves before the Lord to be justified by him.

We have no legs to stand on before God. We all deserve hell for our rebellion against him. There's no room for any sense of entitlement before him.

'God, have mercy upon us, sinners that we are. In the name of Jesus, amen'.

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