“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble… Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” Jms.4:6,10. When pride comes, disgrace comes—(and ungrace, no grace, and anti-grace) Prov.11:2. Be completely humble and gentle—be patient, bearing with one another in love” Eph. 4:2.
Heavenly Father, why is “being right” more fun than being humble? Why does getting defensive comes easier than getting low? Why is getting even more tantalizing than giving grace? I relish the fact you don’t remember my sins against me, so why do I remember and rehearse other people’s against them? It’s a good thing you give new mercies every day, including today. Have mercy on me, Abba.
Nobody’s failure to love well justifies me returning “the favor.” No one’s ungrace gives me permission to cop an attitude, or become a self-righteous cop in the precinct where you have graciously placed me. Abba, forgive me for confusing the self-righteous monologue I’ve been carrying on in my head with prayer. I’ve been talking to myself, not to you.
How sobering—you oppose the proud. You don’t just ignore them or roll your eyes at their (our) chilly-hearted, judgmental, grudge-harboring, puffed-up ways. Who in their right mind would knowingly, willingly want your opposition, Abba? That is certifiable insanity—the total opposite of Gospel-sanity.
How gladdening—you give grace to the humble. You give grace—not as a wage earned by good people, but as an impossible-to-earn gift to the ill-deserving. You give grace that we might humble ourselves. You give grace to keep us humble. You give grace to the freshly humbled that we might give grace to those we’d rather give something else. Abba, thank you for being the “God of all grace” (1Pet.5:10). “De-puff” us today by the power and riches of the Gospel. So Very Amen.
