Humility.
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy ( comfortable, pleasant) and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30)
Have you ever wondered about this “yoke” that enables those who wear it to find rest for their souls? This invitation is not for everyone. Jesus is inviting those who have labored to exhaustion and seek rest. The One inviting is seeking a response. Action on our part, “come to Me” and “take My yoke upon you.”
How can Christ’s yoke be anything other than humility? Only the humble are able to learn our Father’s thoughts and ways. Christ, who is “gentle and humble in heart”, lives in our heart. We enter God’s rest by trusting in Jesus, the One who gives us His yoke to wear. The one that He wore on earth, a gentile and humble heart.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)
Bitter fruit.
One of the most amazing contrasts in Scripture is between religious pride and humble love. How terrible the end of one and the blessings of the other. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ (Matthew 7:21-23)
“Many” will be boasting in their mighty deeds done in Christ’s name, and it is safe to say, “many others feel secure in their lessor deeds.” Deeds that cover their practices of sin. Only pride can deceive the heart of man into thinking that deeds could ever be the ticket to salvation. Humility receives salvation through Christ’s blood.
Good Fruit.
Humility is the root of all virtue. It is full of grace, the grace it required, and love unrestrained. Resting in faith, with trust in God, humility lives to do His will. Motivated by love, humility’s deeds are simply gifts ordained. Deeds that are the natural expression of our new heart. Hardly reason to brag.
“…., Come you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.” (Matthew 25:34-36)
“Lord, when did we see You……” (Matthew 25:37-39) The yoke of humility allows us to learn God’s thoughts and ways. After awhile we do them without a lot of thought. The fruit of a new heart. Yet how wonderful to know we are serving Jesus.
War of a spiritual nature.
Lord, we are in the midst of a battle waged between pride and humility. Grant us the wisdom to rightly judge our own attitudes as we walk in faith with You. We have often repented of prideful thoughts and deeds. So, we know we need You to shine Your Light of Life on us at all times. Pride is a sneaky thing.
His Family Table 