Less of Me Lord, More of You!

6) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 7) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

1 Peter 5: 6,7


Have you ever met a financially or politically powerful person who seemed so “down to Earth” that their approachability impressed you much more than their accolades? I love meeting those types of people! Just last week I was at the largest annual meeting of general and sub-specialty surgeons in the country. As a very junior person in my field, I felt so honored to have dinner with one of the highest-ranking leaders in the organization. To watch his manner and grace in dealing with everyone from the doorman to tenured surgeons in the upper echelons of society was a real reminder of the power of humility. I smiled on as people left conversations with him feeling often feeling inspired and never less than special. I like to think that this gentleman would appreciate the following quote by Sir Issac Newton, the Father of modern science: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Truly humble individuals recognize Godly provision and know that God has strategically used many individuals to promote them to states of grace. One of my dearest friends, often reminds me that it is often not what you say to people that is important, but how you made them feel after the words are spoken. An attitude of measured humility and grace leaves people happy to have met you and reflective on the goodness of the Father!

God has given many of us unique positions of influence. Whether you are President of a book club or CEO of a Fortune 500 company, it’s important to recognize the inherent danger of pride and the virtue of Godly humility. The people that you interact with should find you a gracious and approachable person for the sake of your testimony as a follower of Jesus. Verse 6 reminds us to “humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God.” Humility is rooted in an understanding of God as being the Source of all that we are, including our large and small circles of influence. Humility is rooted in consideration for the spiritual welfare of those around us. We should strive to make others better!

We recall that Satan once lived in Heaven as a beautiful being of worship to God. He wrote the songs, sang the lead and directed the angelic choir. He was amazing to behold and God made him that way! His very being reflected the majesty and glory of the Creator of the universe. The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of Satan’s spiritual and literal fall from the presence of God. Verses 13 and 14 highlight the darkened heart of Heaven’s best with a spirit of pride: “13)…I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 13) I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” While we may not verbalize such blasphemy against God, we persist in living lives filled with pride and devoid of humility. We fail to recognize and honor the provision of the Lord. When we demote time spent in prayer to a once weekly encounter lead from a pulpit, we are operating in pride. We elevate status, possessions and ego to dangerous levels leaving scarce little room for God. We forget not only where we came from, but fail to see where God really would like us to go. We settle for pats on the back and pay raises, instead of consistently seeking to know the will of God in our lives. We become so consumed with our own accomplishments that we rob ourselves of true relationship with a caring God. 1 Peter 5:5 tells us that “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Just as Satan was resisted by the holiness of God and thrown from Heaven, we too are in danger of separation from the Creator. If we allow pride to consume us, it not only taints positive relationships with others it disrupts true elevation in the Kingdom of God. When choosing to pursue humility, we are sure to enjoy high places not only in this life, but also in the life to come! God wants us to understand that as believers, we can cast our cares upon him, fully aware that it is through Him that “we live, move and have our being”. (Acts 17:28). It is certainly His desire to exalt us; but only under the appropriate circumstance. When we carry this awareness into every aspect of our lives we demonstrate a reliance on God that points people away from us and decidedly toward Heaven. We have no greater example than the Lord Jesus to learn lessons of humility. In humbling his human will to the Will of the Father, our Lord suffered great pain leading to physical death. His sacrifice has provided mankind with salvation from sin and full re-unification with God! Just as Jesus at the height of his Passion, “Not my will, but thine be done;” a humble heart’s prayer becomes “Less of me, Lord; more of You!”

Dr’s Orders:  Take a critical look at your day today. Identify three missed opportunities for operating with a humble attitude; i.e., email, conversation, negative thoughts, etc.

1) Pray that God will forgive you for being prideful and accept the fact that He cares and wants to be your Source of success.
2) Write down three ways you will use your success in the coming month to point someone to the Lord.
3) Take an initial step TODAY to fix a relationship, either personal or professional that was hurt by your pride. Determine to make additional steps toward healing the damage in the coming week.