Humble Servant…

By: Shanna Cole

Luke 14:11

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbled will be exalted.

Do you ever think of someone in particular and realize how humble they are? Most everyone knows someone who pops into their mind. When I think of someone, I think of a man I have known my whole life. He has worked his tail off for everything he has. He is very wealthy now, due to all of his hard work, but you would never know it if you saw him out. He is normally in an old flannel button up, jeans and old work boots. Not like most people expect a wealthy man to be dressed. The only time someone would notice his wealth, would be if they happened to witness him doing a good deed, that he was trying to keep quiet. That is the kind of person I want to be and I want my sons to be. Humble and helpful. I have a friend who has always given her children everything. She herself will admit she is a pretty high maintenance person. Her and her husband want their children to have the  best of the best. Which I understand from a parents standpoint, wanting your kids to have the things you didn’t, but is that really what is best for them in the long run?

There is a point when you need to realize your children's best interest is knowing God and being humble servants to the Lord. Spare the rod, spoil the child. I am sure you have heard that before. Do not expect something  for doing nothing. Teaching your children to be humble is very beneficial to them throughout life and it’s ok to have average or below average items. 

Those are all worldly possessions that you cannot take with you when you go. I have told her, not hatefully, but in a concerned friend way, you can humble an entitled child by taking away some of the things that are not necessities. Make them work to get things. Entitled children become entitled adults. Humbling children needs to happen, sometimes regularly. 

Thinking of all of this, do you not sometimes need to be humbled? Even when we don’t realize it. That is what God seems to do a lot in my life. Even though I don’t feel entitled or have super nice things. I am fine with the basics and still have it better than someone else. That always needs to be remembered. God reminds me on those days when I am feeling sorry for myself. When I am putting down my 75k dollar house, because it isn’t as nice as my friend's 450k dollar house.  When you pass a homeless person on the sidewalk, it puts it all into perspective. They would think my 75k dollar house was the best thing ever. Just like how I think of my friend's house and she thinks of someone else’s house who is bigger and fancier than hers. That awful cycle constantly continues . 

 All in all, it is up to us to humble ourselves and realize all the blessings God has given us. Even though we may not think we can see them every day, they are there. In the basic things in life we take for granted. Those are blessings we should realize are there to keep us humble.  Because all too quickly, God can take it all away and humble you himself. Just remember you can’t take material things with you to eternity, all you have is your salvation and your family. Make sure you have all that packed first.