God Is So Big; I'm So Small!

Proverbs 22:4 (NIV) —

‘Humility is the fear of the LORD. Its wages are riches and honour and life.’

I love being on stage and when I was younger, I did lots of musical theatre. When my theatre school chose 'Beauty and the Beast' I was so excited. I thought I'd smashed my audition for a major role but I got given… townsperson. I was so angry and during rehearsals all I could think was how I could do a better job than the people they chose.

Have you ever seen someone in a position that you wanted and thought to yourself you could do so much better? That feeling of pride is in direct conflict with the spirit of repentance. Pride makes us feel like we are owed something or that we deserve something

The word ‘humility’ comes from the Latin word ‘humulis’ which means low. It is to be free from pride or arrogance and to have a modest view of oneself.

In 2 Chronicles, God instructs his people to humble themselves. The Israelites seem like a bunch of people who thought they deserved to be treated better. After all, hadn't they spent hundreds of years in slavery, then wandering through a desert enduring hardship after hardship?

It is harsh reality when we realise that the only thing we deserve or earned in this life is death. Romans 6:23 tells us ‘The wages of sin is death’. We are all sinful beings but through the grace and mercy of God we do not receive the wage we've earned.

When I think of the magnitude and holiness of God but how he chooses to love us, I find myself in complete awe and wonder. We do not deserve his grace, but he freely gives it anyway. Acknowledging this truth strips away our pride and enables us to receive his gift of kindness - which leads us to repentance.

Reflect - Ponder Romans 2:4 ‘...do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?’