No Wonder They Call it a Pride of Lions

I have been scared to death all day. I start my final semester of high school tomorrow. And it's strange because I'm not even proud of my high school or have many friends there, but I'm scared to death of the real world. I know I've been sheltered and I'm afraid that's gonna hold me back. The ironic thing is that last night Jesus told me His word for my 2011 is humility...breaking my pride (which desperately needs breaking...or smashing).

Humility... it sounds simple enough, hold the door open for others, give more gifts, help people with their homework. But if I'm doing some of that already it's obviously so much more than a few kind actions.

When I think of humility I imagine someone laying spread-eagle face-down on the floor in front of someone on a throne. Like that scene in The King and I where she must stay lower than the King but he keeps getting closer to the ground and she ends up flat on her face. That was my favorite scene. I can't just act as a servant, I must be a servant. I have to have a humble heart and mind and eyes. A zero tolerance rule when it comes to pride.

HUMBLE: meek and subservient; servile.

PRIDE: an inherent feeling of dignity and worth.

Pride is something inherent, a sin that we are born with and can't help but reproduce throughout our entire lives. While Jesus said "blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth".

Humility, it's one of the most painful lessons to learn. It means being stripped. Many times being stripped of your dignity, your respect, your beauty, your wisdom, and any other talent you think you've been blessed with. But it hurts the most because it is probably one of the most powerful lessons. By learning humility we learn what it means to be a Christian, to be completely helpless and yet having the same power that raised Jesus from the dead. It's crazy awesome.

Jesus, open my eyes and heart to what it means to be completely humble...all of me. Lord remove my pride. May I boast only in You alone Lord Jesus. Don't let me forget my place in this world or my Creator and Savior. Father show me what real humility is, who you are.