Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.
James 4:10
Humility is a Christian virtue not much emphasized these days. There are way too many books written on success through getting what I want from God. And there are so few scriptural calls to humility. The apostle James thus should stop us in our fast tracks toward self-driven works efforts at personal kingdom building with his simple statement: God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
Ralph Waldo Emerson said it very memorably: "There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn't matter who gets the credit." And he was just in one sense agreeing with God Who wants to pour out His enabling grace on humble people who don't need personal or financial incentive to get things done well for His glory.
O Lord Jesus,
I will work towards one hope: that I may stand before You even as the vast pile of wood, hay, and stubble that was my work in the ministry burns away, and my only hope is that where I humbly served You there might remain a few small precious stones shining bright in those ashes so that You would say to me with a warming and consoling smile, "well done, good... faithful... and humble servant."
Amen
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