When The Ordinary Became Extraordinary
December 21, 2024
Inadequate Lift
March 10, 2018
"By your great wisdom, by your trade you have increased your riches and your heart is lifted up because of your riches… -Ezekiel 28:5
There are two rocket engines for lifting the heart—haughtiness and humility. The “haughtiness lift” is like the missile that soars then sputters. The energy is depleted too quickly, and it thuds to the ground, never achieving orbit. In fact, the gravitational push against the pride-fired heart is heavier because “God resisteth the proud.” (James 4:6 KJV)
The “humility lift” takes the vessel higher and higher. The humble heart knows it must keep receiving, that it cannot sustain itself. It does not lift itself through riches—material things—but through God’s power. While He “resists” the proud, He gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
Augustine wrote of The City of God. We all live in two cities, he suggested. Part of heart lives in a city where the populace is prideful, but believes they are humble. The other side of the heart dwells in a town where people are humble but believe they are prideful.
The only way to get the lift of humility is to admit your pride.
TODAY’S FOCUS
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate where you are relying on your own accomplishments for your “lift,” and to transform your heart into one of genuine humility.
The “humility lift” takes the vessel higher and higher. The humble heart knows it must keep receiving, that it cannot sustain itself. It does not lift itself through riches—material things—but through God’s power. While He “resists” the proud, He gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)
Augustine wrote of The City of God. We all live in two cities, he suggested. Part of heart lives in a city where the populace is prideful, but believes they are humble. The other side of the heart dwells in a town where people are humble but believe they are prideful.
The only way to get the lift of humility is to admit your pride.
TODAY’S FOCUS
Ask the Holy Spirit to help you evaluate where you are relying on your own accomplishments for your “lift,” and to transform your heart into one of genuine humility.
