Wednesday, March 16, 2016

The Law of Humility

UV 1700/10000 The Law of Humility
He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD'S, and he hath set the world upon them.
I Samuel 2 v 8
Regular so-called literature on management, philosophy and leadership is bereft of hope and holistic meaning affecting the whole gamut of human life. This is the reason that we need to daily look deep and intensely into scripture to unearth the underlying principles of the universe and human life. These are the pillars of the earth and the universe that the uni-verse above refers to. A pillar is a source of support that holds up a roof or building. Proportionately, it occupies only a little space but since it is undergirded with a frame of steel into which concrete is poured into, it is a source of great strength to the entire edifice. The world is set upon such pillars that hold up our lives. We ignore these to our peril and shame. But when diligently studied and observed all our lives it leads us to a throne of glory. We are co-inheritors with Jesus of His throne of glory. We rule with Him in the heavenly realms as on earth.
The Lord does not mind the greedy but He is mindful of the needy. He bodily emotionally and spiritually lifts us out of the dunghill of our misery. The serpent, the fallen angel lifted its head against the Lord and tried to exalt himself against God in the sight of man and was consigned forever to live and walk in dust. The dust is a symbol of vanity, uselessness, death, humiliation and defeat. Similarly, to this day any human who lifts his or her head arrogantly, conceitedly or proudly against the Lord will be humbled or lowered in the sight of all. But the supplicant, the one who comes humbly into His royal and awesome presence, conscious of who He is and who we are, will be certainly lifted up in due time. He will seat us at the high table of the princes. He will seat us at His banqueting table where we feast on His promises in the presence of our enemies.

The humble are the inheritors of the glory of God. God chooses such persons to manifest and reflect His glory on earth. In order to stay humble consistently, we need to always be mindful of the Lord at all times. Our thoughts, emotions, words, decisions, actions and reactions should be an thanks offering to the Lord. He will then lift us out of the miry clay and place us on a rock of security. We will be like a lily of the valley that Solomon in all his glory could not compare with. We will be like the beautiful lotus that draws its nourishment from the miry clay of the dirty pond that is a metaphor for the world. The lotus and the lily open out its petals only as long as the sun shines. With sunset, they curl up and close their whorls. Similarly, as long as the Lord’s face shines on us, we can glorify Him in all that we think, speak, do. He causes us to flourish where we are. He lifts us up or exalts us in the very circumstances we find ourselves in. Humility is to acknowledge that all that one is – is due to the grace of the Lord. Humility is to strive for the glory of the Lord and not our own. Humility is to depend on His word, wisdom and strength and not on our own.
Prateep V Philip

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