Learning Humility
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If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall (v.12).
Last month, as my wife was using our riding lawn mower, she accidentally hooked the bottom of the mower on one of the swings of our swing set. It dangerously lifted the front tires off the ground! So, as I was recently cutting the grass, her scare reminded me to slow down to first gear. I confidently maneuvered around the swing on my left—but I failed to see the one on the right. Suddenly, the mower reared up on its rear wheels and then tipped backwards. After hitting the ground and rolling clear of the blades, I realized that my mower now lay upside down on its crushed steering wheel.
My wife couldn’t believe what I’d done. After what had happened to her, she wondered how I could have been so careless. But that was the problem. It had happened to her, a rookie driver. I had mowed our lawn for 8 years without incident. In fact, I didn’t even know it was possible to flip a riding mower on level ground— and I didn’t think it could happen to me.
I had failed to fully learn from my wife’s example. In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul tells us that we should learn from the Israelites. Their stories of disobedience “were written down to warn us” not to “crave evil things as they did, or worship idols” or “engage in sexual immorality” or “put Christ to the test” or “grumble as some of them did” (1 Corinthians 10:6-11). We are worse the moment we suppose we’re better, for we become sloppy when we think we’ll never fall.
If “pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), then we must live humbly and alertly before God. What sin are you sure you would never commit? Look out! You’ve just let down your guard.
—Mike Wittmer
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Read Mark 14:27-31,66- 72 to learn the danger of overconfidence.
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What sin are you inching toward because you’re sure you’d never actually do it? What do you think God wants you to do about it?
Moving Compilation of NEW Soldier Reunions - Grab the Tissues! from joylights on GodTube.
