The Blessings of Humility and Love

Prayer-Soldier

The Blessings of Humility and Love

Scripture:

My child, conduct your affairs with humility, and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts. Humble yourself the more, the greater you are, and you will find favor with God. What is too sublime for you, seek not, into things beyond your strength search not. The mind of a sage appreciates proverbs, and an attentive ear is the joy of the wise. Water quenches a flaming fire, and alms atone for sins. (Sirach 3:17-18, 20, 28-29)

For you are not come to a mountain that might be touched and a burning fire and a whirlwind and darkness and storm, and the sound of a trumpet and the voice of words, which they that had excused themselves, that the word might not be spoken to them.

But you are come to mount Sion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of angels, and to the church of the firstborn who are written in the heavens, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect, and to Jesus the mediator of the new testament, and to the sprinkling of blood which speaks better than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:18-19, 22-24)

And it came to pass, when Jesus went into the house of one of the Pharisees, on the sabbath day, that they watched him.

And he spoke a parable also to them that were invited, marking how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them: When you are invited to a wedding, sit not down in the first place, lest perhaps one more honorable than you be invited by him: And he that invited you and him, come and say to you: Give this man place. And then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go, sit down in the lowest place; that when he who invited you comes, he may say to you: Friend, go up higher. Then shall you have glory before them that sit at table with you. Because every one that exalts himself shall be humbled: and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. And he said to him also that had invited him: When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends nor your brethren nor your kinsmen nor your neighbors who are rich; lest perhaps they also invite you again, and a recompense be made to you. But when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame and the blind. And you shall be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make recompense to you: for recompense shall be made you at the resurrection of the just. (Luke 14:1, 7-14)

Reflection:

It is the ego which leads to temptation. The ego is self centered and once we seek to feed it, it shall always be hungry. But if we seek to use our talents for His purpose and for the blessings of others, we avoid the enslavement of selfishness. We must recognize that we did not create our talents, rather, they were gifts to us from Him. When we use our talents for His purpose, we walk His path and leave behind the path of sin. The wisdom of His Word shall guide us away from the folly of pursuits which are never quenched; through prayer and reflection upon what he asks of us, we can set ourselves free from the snares of evil.

If we look around us, we see the many ways we are enticed to self. If our ambition is to satisfy our ego, we may feed it for a time, but a time will come where we will no longer have the energy or the means to satisfy such desires. What we seek for ourselves can always be lost, but what we provide for others is never lost for He will know what we have done no matter what is seen or not seen by others.

Some seek to avoid the message of His Word, for they fail to comprehend the blessings it yields. Because they do not comprehend, some seek to remain ignorant of it, even if they read every word. They seek to avoid it or deny it in the belief that either will prevent them from being held to account for the decisions they make. They do not see the consequences of what they do. They do not see what they deny themselves in the name of serving self.

Blessed are those who seek His Word, for through His Word they shall comprehend the blessings which may be found through serving Him and others which cannot be found through serving self. They shall comprehend the blessings of everlasting love. They shall comprehend the love which has been poured out for them and what may be received as that love is shared. It is the testament of His sacrifice which is the testament of His Word.

As He walked among us, He sought to teach us the blessings of His ways. He sought to teach us the value of humility, for through humility, we take nothing for granted. We do not rely upon riches or positions of society or anything which is conferred upon us by this world. Through humility, we do not struggle to take from others, rather, we accept what is given. He also sought to teach us the value of love, for through love, we give so that others might receive. As many give, so shall many receive; but it is not what we receive of this world which is important, rather it is what is possible for us in His kingdom. What is possible in His kingdom is only possible if we seek Him and seek the ways of His Word, for through our belief in Him, the blessings of His love will forever be ours.

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier