Humility Before Honour
Then the devil took him to the holy city, had him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down. For it is written:
Matthew 4:5-7
He will give his angels orders concerning you,
and they will support you with their hands
so that you will not strike
your foot against a stone.”
Jesus told him, “It is also written: Do not test the Lord your God.”
“Everything in our culture pushes us to climb the ladder of success to reach the dizzy heights, like Jesus on the pinnacle of the temple! We are tempted by advertisements and the lives we see in the media to strive for an ever higher standard of living. …
… One of the other possible ways for Jesus to live his life was to become a celebrity, to impress people with his powers, to gather a huge following to show off! Instead he chose the opposite way, to climb down the ladder of success, to work unseen. In Mark’s Gospel in particular, we see him asking people not to tell others what he has done for them.” Pg17 ‘Apprentices and Eyewitnesses’
So how should we think about our work and place in the world? I have a friend who once commented to me that he never sought out promotion, but just worked hard where he was, working honestly and diligently. He said that in Gods timing, he was always approached about stepping up. I like that, and I’m sure it’s not unique. Many of us may be waiting for the right approach – that new job, or internal promotion. Hand this to over to God again, and give him the associated angst and frustrations, he can take it! Proverbs is always going on about humility. Take Proverbs 18:12 for example – “Before his downfall a person’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honour.”
Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
Often un-seen, un-noticed, un-regarded,
Your touch brings healing,
Your word brings hope,
You stand at the door and knock,
You wait for our invitation.
Be with me now as I walk with you
In the way that leads to life.
Amen.