Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
Humility is the most difficult lesson for us, because we are all naturally self-centered. I recently read an article which says that if you do exactly the same thing as someone else, you'd have completely different feeling. They are sluggishly but you are trying to precise, they are wastefully but you are generous, they are picky and critical but you are correcting others out of love, their kids are naughty and mischievous but your kids are energetic and smart.
Relationships between people often break as a result of self-centeredness. When do we really need to humble ourselves and how do we do it? First, we must purposely value humility. Humility always come out from the heart, and we can only recognize how small we are by turning from self-centeredness to knowing God. When the American astronauts entered into space and saw the immense universe that God created, they turned to Psalm 8 and recited: "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" Is there anything we have that wasn't received from God? Since we received everything from God, let us humble our hearts and give thanks to God for all His grace.
Second, let's consider others better than us; in other word, we must appreciate those around us. A Chinese idiom says that when there are three people together, one of them will have something I can learn from. No matter how different other people are, we can always learn something from them. I encourage you to momentarily lay down the work on your hands and all the worries in your heart, look at the people around you, look at your children, colleagues, brothers and sisters, and your better half. Think about their virtues and listen to what they tell you. You will suddenly discover that they are all so adorable and they're all little angels that God placed around you. Appreciate who they are, and your heart will be humbled and you will bring more joy to them. Are you willing to do that?
Pray with Pastor Tong
Lord Jesus, may you come and change my heart, let me learn to see everyone and everything around me in my life through your eyes. Give me a humble heart to listen to what others say, so that others may see your example in me. I thank you and I pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!
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