Humility

OK, be perfectly honest with me. Is anybody else having difficulty with this "humility" thing?

Andrew Murray in the preface to his book Humility writes:

When we see that humility is something infinitely deeper than contrition, and accept it as our participation in the life of Jesus, we shall begin to learn that it is our true nobility, and that to prove it in being servants of all is the highest fulfillment of our destiny, as men created in the image of God.

I sort of get that concept. I understand that humility is the answer in our lives and in the life of our nation. I acknowledge that it is the key to fulfilling our destiny. Then, it seems as if I put the book down, forget all I read, and take one more trip around that mountain of pride.

You see, with the fall in the Garden of Eden, a terrific battle began in our lives. The life God intended for us became corrupted by Satan's planting of that seed of pride making us believe that we could "be like God." God knew we could not overcome that weed in our lives, so He sent Jesus Christ. Jesus is the example of what God intended for man in the first place. We are to live lives of obedience and humility before God and to be servants of those around us. That is our destiny.

But, that weed of pride in my heart reminds me of the weeds in the vegetable garden I planted a few years ago. For some reason, the weeds flourished regardless of the conditions. Too hot for the vegetables? The weeds did fine. Too much rain and vegetables all turn yellow? The weeds multiply and grow 18 inches. Forget to water the garden and the vegetables are wilting? The weeds grow another six inches and look like they are about to go to seed. Why do the weeds do so much better than the crop we are intending to cultivate?

Weeds (pride) take the path of least resistance. Unchecked, they will consume their boundaries and overflow into other people's gardens. Cultivated plants, on the other hand, require consistent attention. They need to have the correct soil, the appropriate temperature, and attention to food and water.

Humility, a cultivated state, requires our attention to the details in our lives. We have to prepare the soil of our heart to be able to cultivate humility in our lives to enable the Holy Spirit to harvest the destiny the Lord intends for each of us.

See, the concept is not all that complex.

Well, that's all for today. I have to go pull some more of those pesky weeds.

Lord, do not let us become discouraged with the weeds in our lives to the point that we decide the garden is not worth the effort. Remind us that the consistent cultivation of a life of humility will produce in us, exactly what You intend.