The Pharisee stood [ostentatiously] and began praying
to himself [in a self-righteous way, saying]:
God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of men –
swindlers, unjust (dishonest), adulterers – or even like
this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all
that I get.
But the tax collector, [merely] standing at a distance, would
not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept striking his
breast, saying, O God, be favorable (be gracious, be
merciful) to me, the especially wicked sinner that I am!
Luke 18:12, 13 (AMP)
The year is about to end and as it does I want to touch
on a few things I think we need to reflect on before we get
into 2016. The word I am about to share has really been
on my mind for some time. This word brought attitudes
to light, attitudes that were not of God.
Just because you think you are humble doesn’t mean
you are humble. This is the kind of erroneous thinking
I had. But this scripture blew that out of the water.
I thought I was humble but truth be told, I was proud!
I couldn’t see it because my pride was cloaked in a
false sense of humility.
But to walk in the plan God has for us we need to be
humble! The tax collector was a perfect example of
what it meant to be humble.
I think humility is being able to stay small in our own eyes!
It’s having the wisdom to see that God is in control and
understanding that without Him we are lost.
Humility strips every selfish thought and idea we have.
Humility puts off our own strength and puts on God’s.
Humility doesn’t take pride in it’s own wisdom but
looks to the Lord for true wisdom!
The Pharisee stayed big in his own eyes. He saw himself
as more in his own eyes, as very important, while the tax collector
stayed small in his own eyes!
Who are you in your own eyes?
Please understand what the tax collector did and didn’t do.
He didn’t talk negatively about himself. He didn’t tell
God how useless and pathetic he was. He didn’t tear himself
down. That is not humility.
He knew he was a sinner in deep need of grace and mercy!
I hope you notice the difference. Stop the negative self talk.
It’s not biblical.
It’s so important we stay “small in our own eyes”.
Let us look at another passage of scripture that will help
us understand this truth:
Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and
he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s
name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem.
He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as
his father Amaziah had done.
He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed
him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God
gave him success.
2 Chronicles 26:3
God had a plan for Uzziah. Actually, He had great plans for him.
Like Uzziah, God has great and amazing plans for us. But look
at how the story changed……
But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.
He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple
of the Lord to burn incense on the altar of incense.
2 Chronicles 26:16
The priests were the only ones allowed to burn incense but
because Uzziah was proud (failed to remain small in his own
eyes) he never walked in the full promises of God!
God had made Uzziah powerful but he failed to realise
that.
When I start thinking I can’t do certain things because they are
beneath me or I am too important to do them
or if I think I should
only do certain things because I am important, that is a good
indicator I have become
proud. God wants me to walk in everything He has for me
but pride will destroy that very quickly!
Let us be like the tax collector. He remained small in his own eyes
and because of that the Bible says he went home justified!
My desire and prayer is that I walk in true humility, that
I stay small in my own eyes for the rest of my life!
Stay small in your own eyes!
God bless friends……
photo credit: google images
Rolain
kingspeech 