Developing Godly character is an endeavor worthy of whole-hearted effort. One of the most beautiful promises of scripture is found in 2 Corinthians 3:18...oh, to be transformed into the glorious image of the Lord! What a privilege! In the coming weeks I look forward to gazing upon those character qualities which are essential to Christians. We will start our journey considering the blessings of a humble spirit.
Scripture promises us that that the character trait of humility is the companion of honor, long-life, wealth and wisdom. Making this attribute even more appealing is the fact that it is the key to entering the presence of the Lord. This characteristic is so important to God He provides seeds of it in every life as a precious gift. Humility is elusive to us because we mistake those seeds as flaws in our design.
Like every gift from God, Satan seeks to pervert God's gifts and destroy us with the perversion. Humility is simply accepting our shortcomings with confidence in God's design of us and in His power to use our weaknesses. A humble spirit believes the words of Jesus that 'His strength is made perfect in weakness.' Human pride, though, encourages us to try to hide our shortcomings from the view of others and even ourselves. Hidden truths in our lives are dangerous and can topple us in a crisis. Our shortcomings and weaknesses are part of the design of God that helps us see His greatness. These 'deficiencies' are the seeds for humility! Embrace them and rejoice in Jesus.
As the old sayings goes, God doesn't make junk! We are priceless, perfectly designed creations of the One, True God. He has designed us to need Him. Humility is simply recognizing that and seeking Him.
As all of us reflect the glory of the Lord with unveiled faces, we are being transformed into the same image with ever-increasing glory by the Lord's Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:18)
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