In our modern society, it is our mothers, who best demonstrate the power of humility in it's impact on our culture.... Let's take a moment and define this word Humility....Humility gives us a healthy perspective of ourselves compared to others and allows us to see the dignity and worth of all people.
Jesus put it this way...."Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"....(Not as they do unto you).....
Humility is the best cure for Self-righteousness. Self-righteousness is one of the hardest sins to avoid because it is so much easier to see other peoples faults than to see our own faults. Instead of looking for faults in others, we should look for the good in others and try to correct the faults within ourselves.
Jesus' gave the visually powerful parable of a person with a board in his eye trying to see to remove a speck from another person's eye, to remind us that we probably have bigger faults within ourselves than the faults we would criticize in others:
Ezra Benson says..."Pride is concerned with who is right....Humility is concerned with what is right."
Matthew 18:2-4 "And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them and said, “Verily I say unto you, Except you be converted, and become as little children, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble themselves as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven"
Today I’d like to address this virtue which is found all through the bible, but it is one that has fallen out of favor in a time of selfies, bottom line profitability, and a feel good society of instant gratification.
We live in an era that believes that humility will never get you anywhere in this pushy, self important, “it's all about me” culture that we live in.
Matthew 20:28 “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Jesus tells us that the first shall be last and the last shall be first….He says, take the back seat and let them call you forward instead of taking the front seat and have them ask you to move back….
A few years ago, Google asked the question "What ever happened to humility? They released a searchable database of 5.2 million books published since 1500. Researchers soon discovered that, between 1960 and 2008, self centered words increasingly overshadowed social and communal ones. The usage of the words “kindness” and “helpfulness” dropped by 56%, and the words “modesty” and “humility” dropped by 52%. Our language reflects our lives. Phrases like "community" and "common good" lost popularity as "self help" and “I come first” became popular. We have moved from We thinking to Me thinking.
Saint Augustine…..“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes angels out of men.” —
Speaking of definitions, I have come across some definitations from a Mother's Dictionary
A DUMBWAITER: someone who asks if the kids would like dessert.
FAMILY PLANNING: The art of spacing your children the proper distance apart to keep you on the edge of financial disaster.
FEEDBACK: The inevitable result when your baby doesn't appreciate the strained carrots.
FULL NAME: What you call your children when you're mad at them.
INDEPENDENT: How we want our children to be as long as they do everything we say.
OW: The first word spoken by children with brothers or sisters.
WHODUNIT, describes none of the people that live in your house...
(Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused. )
Time magazine featured the "Me generation" on their cover... and I learned about some remarkable research at the University of Michigan. It turns out that ever since 1980, our compassion levels have been gradually dropping, but in 2000, they suddenly plummeted 40 percent. Can you believe that....40% in one year! (I'm sure it wasn't because Florida state beat Virginia State at the Sugar Bowl)... Moving on.... a Gallup report recently released, reported that the US dropped from 12th position to number 23 on the global well-being and health index. It’s a strange paradox, it reveals that at the same time, when we as a nation are becoming more self-centered than ever, we are less happy and healthy in spite of it.
Humility is seen as a sign of weakness in today’s culture, when, in reality, it is the gateway for an unparalleled and profound strength.
Jesus Christ washed the feet of his disciples, and then adds, "So do as I have done. I have given you an example."
At another point, he explicitly states, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."
Jesus defeated the devil through the power of humility and You can always defeat the devil with humility, as long as you don't get proud for doing it……
Mother Teresa called humility the "mother of all virtues" and reminded us, "We can do no great things. Only small things with great love." She said: “If you are humble nothing will touch you, not praise and not disgrace, because you know what you are. If you are blamed you will not be discouraged. If they call you a saint you will not put yourself on a pedestal.”
This famous example of humility kept a list of attitudes which all those who worked in her charities, were to cultivate.
Speak as little as possible about yourself.
Keep busy with your own affairs and stay out of the affairs of others.
Avoid curiosity (she is referring to wanting to know things that should not concern you.)
Accept those things that irritate you with good humor.
Do not dwell on the faults and weaknesses of others.
Accept correction, even if it is unmerited.
Give in to the will of others and avoid contention.
Accept insults and injuries because they are distractions.
Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
Be courteous and forgiving even when provoked by someone.
Do not seek to be admired and loved.
Do not protect yourself behind your own insensitivity.
Give in, and avoid arguing, even when you are right.
Be the first to choose the more difficult and unpopular tasks.
In the absence of humility, we forget the shoulders that we stand upon, and foolishly begin to take credit for what we have done and what we are doing.
A dog was traveling in a car, and when the dog wagged its tail to the right, the car turned to the right. And when he wagged it to the left, the car turned to the left. The dog actually began to believe it was controlling the car with its tail. Yet, that is how arrogance deceives us. We feel that we are the tail that is wagging the world….
But Humility says, “May I be a guardian for those who need protection, A guide for those on the path, A boat, a raft, or a bridge for those who wish to cross the flood. May I be a lamp in the darkness, A resting place for the weary, A healing medicine for all who are sick, A vessel for others to drink from, a tree which offers it’s shade in a barren place, May I bring sustenance and inspiration, may I endure in good works when I feel I can’t go on, Until others are set free from sorrow, doubts and fears, and all are awakened to the good which lies in each one.
C.S. Lewis once said: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
Humility spends more time understanding… and less time needing to be understood. Humility finds joy in helping others grow and succeed.Humility always begins in the heart and as a result, exerts great control over attitudes, outlooks, and actions.
Philippians 2:7 “Jesus emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, being made in the likeness of men.”
The Christian life as Jesus taught it, is a constant balance between confidence and humility…. Humility offers its owner complete freedom from the need to impress others, to always be right, or to get ahead. Frustrations and losses have less impact on a soul that is humble and a humble person sees opportunity everywhere to grow, improve, and not be encumbered by society‘s labels. A humble life results in contentment, patience, forgiveness, and compassion.
In God’s economy…. Humility is the most powerful force in the universe! Humility comes before honor....We can have no real honor unless true humility comes first… Proverbs 15:33. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and before honor comes humility.”
On this Mother’s day, I’m going to borrow from the words of Jinnie Cristerna who works with talented people to help them release emotional pain and psychological roadblocks so they can achieve their personal and professional goals. She is also the mother of 4 kids….she says….
1) “Love is nothing like I thought it was. The man I was going to marry would bring me flowers everyday and kiss me before he went to work and when he came home. That’s when I was eight. When you become a mother, you realize that love is much more complicated than that, there all types of love: crazy love, angry love, passionate love, polite love, distant love, tough love, unconditional love, compassionate love, friendly love, and “you’re getting on my nerves” love. In the end, you understand that love isn’t neat and doesn’t fit into a tidy box. When you see your child for the first time (each one of them), you fall in love in a way that transcends words. In that instant, you understand that love doesn’t always stay where you put it .
2) She says “I am stronger than I ever knew. While you may have been a tough cookie before motherhood, afterwards, you realize that soft is the new hard. Humility becomes your neighbor and you succumb to the reality that even if you don’t like it, you’re going to experience it an awful lot so you’d better be on speaking terms. As you surrender to your own humility, you can face your fears, your shame, your regrets and your guilt like the champion God meant for you to be. The phrase, “I’m sorry” is as important for you to hear as it is for you to say; but only if it’s genuine.
3)She goes on to say, “ I’ve learned that I can go from SHE-RO to ZERO IN A HEARTBEAT. When we are little, we pretend to be Princesses and superheroes like Wonder Woman, but who would’ve thought that we would be real life superheroes? Newsflash: every kid thinks her mom is awesome at some point. When this happens, most moms are totally amazed and humbled. Our kids want to be like us and recite our words of infinite wisdom as if it were the gospel of Christ because they trust everything we do and say. When we realize this, we become very intentional about what we say, what we do and what we teach them.
4) Last, Jinnie says, “I matter. It is because you realize how important you are in the total fabric of things. Everything you do, say, feel, and think is important. Often, we don’t realize it until long after the seed has been planted. You understand the importance and value of teaching your child to say “please,” “thank you,” and to share with and be able to compliment others. You gladly sacrifice the things you want so your child doesn’t know the pain of struggle – sometimes to a fault. You realize that you impact the world in a way that will leave an imprint for generations to come.
Thank you Jinnie for some great advice from a mother’s perspective……
Here's some things that moms in the bible might have said to their famous children .....
"Samson! Get your hand out of that lion's mouth. You don't know where that thing has been"!
"David! I told you not to play in the house with that sling! Go practice your harp. We pay good money for those lessons"!
"Abraham! Stop wandering around the countryside and get home when I call you for supper"!
"Noah! I told you already, you can't keep them! Now, don't bring home any more of those strays!"
"James and John! No more burping contests at the dinner table, please. People are going to call you the sons of thunder"!
"Judas! Have you been in my purse again?! "
Well, the truth is, when mothers thrive, we all thrive, because they bring to us a dimension and quality which makes us all better people. Their blend of patience, creativity, complicated love, and confident humility, lifts us up where we belong.
Physicists estimate that the visible portion of the universe is made up of only 1% physical material. The remaining 99% of the universal mass is invisible, and the precise nature of this vast expanse is still unknown. The only real evidence of what physicists call “dark matter” is its powerful gravitational effect – a force so strong that without it, the edge of the universe would begin to unravel.
There is another unseen and little understood phenomenon: the complex weight of motherhood, with its constantly swirling mixture of love, nurturing, vigilance, anxiety, and real and imagined concerns. From the moment a mother feels her deep attachment to each of her children, this amazing blend of love and responsibility settles into the center of her being with an overwhelming gravity. And even though this inner aspect of motherhood is routinely obscured by our culture, all of society would unravel without its steady pull.
Mothers see things differently....A daughter began to cry because she had lost her contact lens, and asked her mom to help her find it…. the mom immediately began searching and in just moments found the lens. Her daughter said, “I have been searching for ½ hour, how could you find it so quickly?” The mom told her she found it so quickly because they weren’t looking for the same thing…the daughter was looking for a contact lens, the Mom was looking for $200.00!!!.. That's a mother's perspective!!!
My adopted dad, was an atheist and tried to control his family with fear….. but it was my adopted mom, who touched us the deepest by her faith and trust in God….It is her voice that still speaks to me today, in matters of choice and guidance.
Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. v22 Whoever finds a wife finds a good thing, and obtains the favor of the LORD”.
(And all the men say “Amen”…..)
Moms, must choose their Words Carefully in case you have to eat them later. Whether it feels like it or not, the words we speak go deep into our children . What we tell them now is the inner voice they will hear years and years after they leave our homes. It is the inner voice they will hear when they begin to manage their own home and begin their own family.
It’s also true that actions say more than your words do.Your words will tell others what you think, your actions will tell them what you believe. More is caught than taught. You know that. Mom, you are the very first example of what womanhood and motherhood looks like to your children. My mom could have told me some things 100 times, but what I remember is what she did. She didn’t have to tell me, because I saw it in her actions. And your kids, no matter how old they are, know what you believe by how you act. They see what you are passionate about and what you tend to ignore. If you are brave enough, ask them what things are most important to their mama and see what they say. It could be a good conversation to reveal how they perceive your actions.
Great parenting doesn’t happen by accident it happens on purpose. It’s a fabulous mix of intentionality and God’s grace to make up all the difference. Left to our own devices it’s easy to become me centered… and to see only from our own perspective is a distraction from the teacher, guide and counselor roll that you have been given. So keep your sense of humor and don’t take everything so seriously, they’re watching and listening…..
Choose to speak life into your children. Of all the things my mama’s voice still say in my head, the loudest voice is about serving and honoring God in all I do. It has served me well. As you are going about your day, choose to speak life over your children. Tell them who they are in your family. When mom found out I could sing, she found every opportunity she could to help me develop. When I struggled with my adoption, she let me know that she chose me but she had to take whatever came out, with her own two children. Tell them who they are in Christ. encourage their strengths, carefully guide them in their weaknesses, but let your words give life to them. That life, and those words, will serve them for years to come.
The greatest gift your child could ever receive is a mama who is faithfully committed to praying for them. As a teen, I always knew that Mom was in prayer when I came in late. I would try to sneak in the door, but she would say, “Charles I was praying for you”. Or when I was in some situation which could have been compromising, I knew that mom was praying for me to do the right thing… I am convinced, without a shadow of a doubt, that our Father in heaven will never refuse any mother when she humbly intercedes for her children. I believe God’s words…. “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door shall be opened…” are especially given to mothers.
I am certain that we will find out in eternity that a significant percentage of the population in heaven will have gotten there, in a major part, because of their mothers. Mothers have infinite value, that God has blessed them with and every mother should be confident in this. Every mom should go through life saying, “I am a mother; I am valued by God! I have no fears or worries because God is with me, and he loves me in an astonishing way.”
Mothers, who have a heart for God, who have invested themselves in their children, and who have lived their lives as an example to all of us, will hear the words, “Well done good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord forever.”
How about a big hand right now, for the ladies who bless our lives in so many ways and bring so much love, joy and beauty into all of our lives.....our mothers!
I want every Mom to stand please (and every mom to be) We want to present a token of your special day to you, and pray a special prayer of blessing over and upon you today…..
PRAYER…Heavenly Father, You have entrusted moms with the care of every precious human life from its very beginning in the womb. You have given to women the capacity of participating with You in the creation of new life. Grant that every woman may come to understand the full meaning of that blessing, which gives her an unlimited capacity for unselfish love for every child she may be privileged to bear, and for all Your children. Give her courage in times of fear or pain, understanding in times of uncertainty and doubt, and hope in times of trouble.
Release in them the gifts, to impart wisdom faithfully to their children, and to all who depend upon them. We speak blessing upon "spiritual mothers", those who, though they may have no children of their own, nevertheless faithfully care for the children of others. We ask your blessing on all those to whom You have entrusted motherhood.
Send Your Holy Spirit, the Comforter, to surround and sustain all mothers who are burdened for children that are in trouble or danger of any kind. May Your Holy Spirit constantly inspire, enlarge, refresh and strengthen these as mothers who are God’s Idea, and there is something supernatural in what You designed them to be. Let the example of their faith, love and amazing courage and resilience shine forth as an example to all. As they depend upon You, Lord, may their hopes and dreams be fulfilled!
Grant that we, their sons and daughters, may honor them always with a spirit of profound respect, honor, and appreciation. May they look forward to eternal joy in Your presence, here and in the life to come. We ask this through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns, world without end…..AMEN.
