From Chapter 6 of From Survive to Thrive by Sam Rodriguez (“Humble Pie — Serve Before You Slice”)
In the midst of crisis, when we experience loss and unimaginable devastation engulfs us, we have an opportunity. This is true not only in times of a pandemic but at any time in our lives. When we’re grounded involuntarily, we’re tempted to despair. But when we remain grounded in humility, we trust in the Lord. We have no pride, no hope, and no resources except through Him. When we’re forced to our knees by life’s blows, we struggle to get up. When we choose to fall on our knees in prayer and worship before our mighty God, He lifts us up.
Those of us committed to following Jesus always try to obey God and receive power from His Spirit, but when our usual routines and systems are turned inside out, many of us realize we are not trusting the Lord as completely as we could. In those moments we realize our self-righteousness has become an idol. Rather than maintaining a posture of gratitude, stewardship, and humility, we allow our egos to eclipse our souls.
Christians are just as susceptible to pride as anyone else. The enemy knows how to adjust his strategy and play to our egos, inflating the way we see ourselves above others — and equal to God. It’s the same ploy the devil used back in the Garden of Eden when he told Eve and Adam that they would not die if they ate the forbidden fruit— they would instead be like God (Gen. 3:5). The truth, however, is that we are not God and will never be His equal. We are His creation, made in His divine image, but not His equal.
We will never move from surviving to thriving unless we bow before Him as the Lord of all. God’s Word clarifies our place before our Savior: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:10–11, NIV). Whether we’re boastful in our own power, like the Philistine Goliath, or self-righteous in our assessment of others, both lead right back to human pride and away from godly humility.
In order to thrive, only one source must anchor our identity, our power, and our worship.
The Ultimate Example
When we consider the kind of humility required to thrive, Jesus set the ultimate example. He accepted what God the Father considered necessary to restore relationship with human beings: incarnational reality, Word made flesh, God in the body of a baby in a manger in Bethlehem. He who was worthy of every accolade, title, luxury, and comfort went as low as He could go — no palace or golden cradle, no woven blankets and fur-lined crib, no attendants to see to His every need, no heralds to raise a royal banner and announce the news.
Instead, His early parents, a teenaged girl and an obedient carpenter, were forced to travel away from their home in order to comply with government requirements. They took shelter in a stable because there was no room in the inns. After He was born, they wrapped Jesus in cloths and laid Him in a feed trough lined with straw. Shepherds came from the nearby fields, along with foreigners bearing gifts. The only thing out of the ordinary was God’s birth announcement: a star dazzled the night sky as angels heralded the news.
Click here to read more.
SOURCE: Christian Post, Samuel Rodriguez
When you purchase a book below it supports the Number #1 Black Christian Newspaper BLACK CHRISTIAN NEWS NETWORK ONE (BCNN1.com) and it also allows us to spread the Gospel around the world.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
