Grace To The Humble

The LORD’s curse is on the house of the wicked,but he blesses the home of the righteous.He mocks proud mockersbut gives grace to the humble.The wise inherit honor,but fools he holds up to shame.

Proverbs 3:33-35 (NIV)

“Grace to the humble.” That’s our topic today. Many of us theoretically would like to be humble, but then we realize that to be humble might take the process of being humbled.

But let’s listen to what 1 Peter 5:5 tells us: “All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’” (NIV).

Here we see humility is a choice, and the context is in relationships. Pride and stubbornness build walls, but humility can melt them.

Let’s apply this first to marriage. Has your husband disappointed you? Have you then in your frustration struck back with words or actions? Now you have a standoff. No one wants to budge. Ladies, when families fight, nobody wins. You be the first to say the kind word. You be the first to say, “I’m sorry.” Mark my words. No matter how your husband responds, God will bless you because he promised that he would give grace to the humble. It’s been said, “Humility isn’t thinking meanly of yourself. It’s merely not thinking of yourself at all.”

So let’s humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God because he guarantees that he, God himself, will lift us up.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

I’ll be perfectly honest: it’s hard for me to humble myself when I think I am right or the other person is wrong. But God has taught me little steps that help me every time. (1) Try to step in the other person’s shoes to see his side. How does he feel? (2) Ask yourself, Have I been thoughtless or unkind? It is humbling, because I always see how I could have or should have done things better. (3) Take it to God; then (4) God himself will give you the next step.

One Year Bible Reading

Genesis 39:1–41:16; Matthew 12:46–13:23; Psalm 17:1-15; Proverbs 3:33-35