Bible Verse of the Day Saturday May 6th, 2023

 Ephesians 4:2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

This verse sets a condition on the humility that all children of God should follow. There is no such thing as limited or fractional humility; one is humble or not humble; there is no middle ground. It also gives two other attributes, gentleness and patients, without which the state of humility could not survive. Since only total humility and no sliding gauge apply, it is the absolute and extreme polar opposite of pride. Satan's first sin committed against God was the sin of pride when he attempted to exalt himself above God.

People tend to become proud of, among other things, where they are from, their physical appearance, and the enormity of their material wealth. Some are proud and brag about their education, success in whatever field they are associated with, their mode of transportation, or even the house where they live. However, God's Holy Word tells us to let someone else praise us and not blow our horns (Proverbs 27:2).

Many sins can trace their origin back to pride, but humility shows us who we are because it reveals Christ Jesus in us. Therefore, it is essential for unity among the Children of God. Pride will lead to another dangerous pattern, comparing ourselves with others instead of Christ Jesus. When we place ourselves alongside others, we can sometimes foolishly see ourselves in a higher plane or a better light than what exists. If we get to the place where we begin to minimize the abilities, talents, and virtues of others and maximize our qualities, we begin to misrepresent and alter reality. Humility is our readiness and inclination to accept the authority and control of God in any situation.

We know that the Bible tells us that we should be patient with others and endure and suffer one another. We understand and appreciate that as the truth coming from a Holy and perfect God. We know all of that, yet God sends us people that are sometimes trying and challenging to put up with. Consider all that our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus had to put up with, even in some cases from His Apostles. Better yet, think about what God has to put up with us, even on our best days. Then, with all of that in mind, we should ask ourselves this straightforward question: What can I do to be a better servant to God and those around me?

If we will but look into our spiritual mirror and see our unworthiness, it will put things in perspective. It will allow us to view ourselves straightforwardly and accurately. Humility can only occur when we empty ourselves and allow the Holy Spirit of God to have complete and total control of every aspect of our lives. There is only one place on this entire planet, or the universe for that matter that we can learn about humility and how we can work towards it; that is the Holy Word of God. Interestingly, there Is a book on Amazon Book Store entitled "Humility and How I Almost Achieved It," by Bern R Peters.