A godly balance

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12 KJV)

Jesus’ earthly life in many ways was one of lowliness and service. His ministry focused on the poor, needy, and outcasts—the least of these. In the Gospels, we find examples of those He ministered to.

“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them.” (Matthew 11:4–5)

Jesus also pointed out some of the things that those who “are blessed of my Father” do in their lives—they feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, welcome the stranger, clothe the naked, and visit the sick and those in prison. Such acts of kindness mirror the Lord’s love and care.

Jesus’ example of humility is something we are encouraged to emulate. As we grow closer to Him, spending more time concentrating on Him, learning about Him, talking with Him, and making room for Him in our lives, He grows in importance to us and begins to take up more of our “field of vision,” so to speak.

When He does, we are reminded of His perfection and our lack of it. When we are in right relationship with Him, we will be humbled by the fact that He loves and values us, as imperfect as we are. This right relationship leads us to a godly balance of healthy self-esteem with genuine humility.  [1]

Being poor in spirit is about God giving us a proper attitude toward ourselves and toward Him. - D. Blair Smith

[1] Anchor Blessed Are the Poor in Spirit