Tag Archives: Poem devotional

PROVERBS 22 OBEY GOD’S WORD & AVOID THE ANGRY

Posted on by

April 1

PROVERBS 22

Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise,
    and apply your heart to my knowledge,
18 for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you,
    if all of them are ready on your lips.

24 Make no friendship with a man given to anger,
    nor go with a wrathful man,25 lest you learn his ways
    and entangle yourself in a snare. – Proverbs 22:17-18,24-25

PROVERBS 22 OBEY GOD’S WORD & AVOID THE ANGRY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As you serve your Lord Jesus Christ, you will hear his voice

His followers will listen to the truth that comes from his word

All who belong to him will be faithful to draw near him

They will make no friendship with those who habitually sins

Don’t associate with the angry or you’ll learn their habits

They will keep you trapped in the cycle of iniquities.

The writer of the book of Proverbs gives us an antidote for anger in verse 17. He says that if we listen to the word of God and follow what it says, we will become wise. Even before the enemy attacks us, we already have a weapon because it is the sword of our spirits as Ephesian 6 says. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we are given the importance of Scripture because it says that it is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness so the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. In Joshua 1:8, we are also commanded to meditate on the word of God, day and night. In Psalm 1, the blessed man who loves the word of God and takes delight in the law of the Lord is likened to a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruits in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does he prospers.

Now that we know the remedy for anger, we are also advised to keep away from those who are prone to wrath. In Psalm 1, we are cautioned not to have anything to do with the wicked and evil one and in the book of James we are instructed to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger because the wrath of man does not produce God’s righteousness. James also reminds us to be doers of the word and not hearers only and to have a humble posture when we receive the word of God because it has the ability to save our souls. Does this mean that anger is bad? No, God has a purpose for anger. Righteous anger is God’s response to sin. We are told to be angry but not sin in Ephesians 4 and not let the sun go down while we are still angry. In other words, God gave us this powerful emotion “anger” for a purpose. It is to expose injustice and sin and to do something about helping and being the voice to those who don’t have a voice or those who are oppressed by such misuse of wrath. It is not to be used to control others or to oppress someone, especially those who are weaker than them.

REFLECTION

·       Share insights on how anger can be easily learned by anyone, especially children.

PROVERBS 11 HUMILITY & WISDOM ARE INSEPARABLE

Posted on by

March 31

PROVERBS 11

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
3 The integrity of the upright guides them, but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.
4 Riches do not profit in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death.
5 The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.
6 The righteousness of the upright delivers them, but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.
7 When the wicked dies, his hope will perish, and the expectation of wealth perishes too.
8 The righteous is delivered from trouble, and the wicked walks into it instead.
9 With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

 but by knowledge the righteous are delivered. – Proverbs 11:2-9

PROVERBS 11 HUMILITY & WISDOM ARE INSEPARABLE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom

When one has reverence for God, they will be humble

They won’t have grand ideas about their identities

The meek looks outside himself and bows to his Creator

He is content at the way God has made him into His likeness

The proud distorts the purpose of God’s imprint on his image

He thinks he can change the plan and will of God by whining

His mouth is full of lies, mockery, rebellion and constant lying.

We can clearly see how the writer synonymously uses humility and wisdom interchangeably. One can’t go without the other. Since the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord, it only goes to show that those who are in awe and in praise of God are humble enough to acknowledge and bow down to his Almighty, Merciful and All-powerful God.  This is something that the proud can never do. Because their view of God is very little compared to their grandiose view of themselves, they have no honesty to admit their littleness and insecurity. They are trying to be like God by hiding their weaknesses and failures because they believe they won’t be at par with the One true God. They have deceived themselves in thinking that they can be like him. Isn’t this what the deception of the serpent was in the garden? The devil sowed seeds of grandiosity and a plot to overthrow God by making them believe that they had powers greater than the Maker himself.

These following verses are reiterated in Psalm 1 when David distinguishes the wicked from the blessed. Here, we are given the distinction between the humble and the proud. We all know that the origin of sin is “pride.” It is pride that derails us from the path of righteousness and leads us to follow the path to wickedness. The proud dies and perishes like chaff but the humble are like a tree planted by streams of water that yields fruits in its season and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

REFLECTION

  • Explain what verse 6 meant when it says “the treacherous are taken captive by their lust?”

JOHN 3 HUMBLE YOURSELF SO GOD CAN INCREASE

Posted on by

March 29

JOHN 3

25 Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. 26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness—look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” 27 John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. 28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ 29 The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 31 He who comes from above is above all. He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way. He who comes from heaven is above all. – John 3:25-31

JOHN 3 HUMBLE YOURSELF SO GOD CAN INCREASE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

For those who belong to God, Jesus modeled humility

He left his divinity and became human to save humanity

The world follows a system where pride dominates

Its focus is on the cravings and lust of the flesh

So, if you are a servant of Christ, you must decrease

Let all you do be about his glory so God can increase.

This account happened among the disciples of John the Baptist (precursor and cousin of Jesus). Prior to this account, John had been baptizing many people in the Jordan river together with his disciples. On this day, John’s disciple became envious of the following that Jesus was garnering. So, just like any of us who are entitled after doing something good, they expected John’s following not to dwindle since they have been popular already until this Jesus came in the picture. Isn’t this automatic with us humans? We work hard for something we want and believe in and when it grows, we forget the purpose of that calling. We become proud of what we have done and gloat over that achievement. We enjoy the position, the success, the expertise of the skill, the adulation we get from such work. We forget that the gift given to us by God is not for our increase but for God to be glorified. When John’s disciples felt threatened by Jesus’ group’s popularity and following, they came to him like childish kids reporting that threat to their group. Envy is a tactic of the devil to create divisions, doubts and confusion. John’s disciples showed so much insecurity and immaturity. But John was solid in his prophecies about the coming of Jesus and was given revelation that the coming of the Messiah was at hand. His perspective was so different from those whom he taught. He declares the sovereignty of God when he said verse 31 “He who comes from above is above all. He who comes from the heaven is above all.” What a glorious revelation! John didn’t listen to their insecurities but instead, he pointed them to the One and only glorious Son of God, Jesus. Because of his humility, Jesus later calls him the greatest of all prophets in Matthew 11:11 when he said “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”

REFLECTION

·       Why can someone not truly worship and praise God when he lacks humility?

PROVERBS 16 BE OF LOWLY SPIRIT

Posted on by

March 28

PROVERBS 16

 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
19 It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.
20 Whoever gives thought to the word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.
21 The wise of heart is called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness.
22 Good sense is a fountain of life to him who has it, but the instruction of fools is folly.
23 The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.
24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
25 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death. – Proverbs 16:18-25

PROVERBS 16 BE OF LOWLY SPIRIT

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The path of righteousness is one that leads to eternity

While the way of the wicked follows pride leading to ruin

It is wise for the believer to be led by God’s word and laws

And it is better for them to have a lowly spirit so they won’t fall

Pride precedes destruction because it prioritizes the “self”

While the meek and lowly focuses on putting God first.

In this wise saying, we are cautioned against pride. How do we know we are proud since it is in our sin nature? It is important that we do not forget that even though we are believers, we are still going to battle with our flesh, the world and the devil. Most people have a wrong notion of Christianity. They think that Jesus has done everything for them and they don’t need to do anything else. They do not take into account “sanctification” which is the constant cleansing of our hearts, minds, souls and spirits in order for it to be “holy”. God requires his people to be holy because he is holy. He cannot be present to you if you are defiled or corrupted by the world, the flesh and the devil.

One of the hardest things to follow that Jesus sampled for us is “humility.” Many believers do not understand why Christ, who is divine, gave up his divinity and became part of humanity. That is precisely why he chose to be born out of humble circumstances. It is to teach us that material wealth or status or power are all meaningless in the kingdom of God. Most unbelievers do not know that there is eternity to be hopeful about. They live their lives for the world’s standards. Since this world is ruled by Satan himself, they have no clue that they do not see that their life’s destination is not on earth but in eternity.

Pride is one of the manifestations of our sinful state. As long as we live for ourselves, we won’t have an expectancy of the new heaven and the new earth. Our lives will be useless because we don’t see where it is actually heading for. We will be chasing things for the sake of pleasuring ourselves. It is a life of futility where we go around in circles and feel empty and never fulfilled. Only God fulfills us and if we don’t have humility, we are not going to acknowledge the One true God, but make ourselves the center of our lives.

REFLECTION

·       Share some insights on pride preceding a fall, ruin or destruction.

PROVERBS 12 THE HUMBLE LISTENS TO ADVICE

Posted on by

March 26

PROVERBS 12

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice.
16 The vexation of a fool is known at once,  but the prudent ignores an insult.
17 Whoever speaks the truth gives honest evidence, but a false witness utters deceit.
18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
19 Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.
20 Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but those who plan peace have joy.
21 No ill befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble.
22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.

                                                                                       – Proverbs 12:15-22

PROVERBS 12 THE HUMBLE LISTENS TO ADVICE

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

How do you know someone is proud or humble?

The proud is right in his own eyes but the meek listens

Because the humble has a teachable spirit, he is open to guidance

While the proud is foolish, he won’t heed or hear other’s advice

The humble follows what is good and what is right for him

While the proud caters to his cravings and easily tempted to sin

Because the meek is obsessed with wisdom and maturity

He humbly listens to advice from the wise who could counsel him.

The writer of the book of Proverbs gives an illustration of a humble person by distinguishing him from a fool. The book of Proverbs gives us vivid descriptions of the different kinds of people in the world. One of them are fools. It seems like the fool is someone who is wise or right in their own eyes as described in these verses. From this description, we could easily think of a proud or haughty person, one who thinks highly of himself and lowly of others. In verse 16, another trait of a fool is full of anxiety and vexations. It also describes the fool as a reactionary person or easily angered or defensive. The haughty person has a sharp tongue. In other words, they don’t think before they utter a word. They are reckless and quick to speak and react but not listen. When they speak, they destroy or ruin someone or something. The proud constantly lie and deceive others which leads them to their own deception. The proud can never please God in any way since their own god is the “self.”

The humble on the other hand listens to advice. Because he doesn’t think highly of himself, he is very open to learning and being taught. He wants to advance his knowledge and maturity so he would have a teachable spirit. The humble has peace and doesn’t react even to insults because he knows himself and doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. The humble speaks only what is encouraging and only what will build up. They are protected and shielded by God from evil because only the truth comes out of their lips.

REFLECTION

·       Share insights about your own experiences with the humble and the proud.

ROMANS 11 THE FEAR OF THE LORD LEADS TO HUMILITY

Posted on by

March 25

ROMANS 11

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

                                                                                           – Romans 11:17-23

ROMANS 11 THE FEAR OF THE LORD LEADS TO HUMILITY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

What causes people to fear and have unbelief?

Isn’t it a lack of knowing truth and a mind anchored on lies?

The unbelievers fear when they don’t live up to the world’s standard

They don’t acknowledge God which leads their hearts to be proud

Those who have the fear of the Lord knows their place and submits to God

They never forget that the giver and maker is God and all are under his control

Since God is love, those who fear God is shielded from folly and sin

Those who live in fear don’t know God and inevitably choose Satan.

In this account, Paul gives the metaphor of an olive tree which was described to have a nourishing root. The root is likened to God being the source of such life and the olive tree is the result of that life-giving Spirit of the Lord. Paul refers to the reason why there were some Jews that he allowed to have unbelief so that he could bring in the Gentile unbelievers into hearing the gospel and believe in God.  In other words, Paul’s mission and calling was to bring the good news to those who have not heard it so that they too can believe as Jews did. Interestingly, Paul, who used to be Saul, persecuted the Christians. How amazing God turns around our sins and uses it to convert the most sinful unbeliever like Paul. That was the plan of God: to use a former unbeliever and persecutors of Christians to be the messenger of the gospel so they too can be saved. When he spoke in verse 20 about being broken off from the tree, he was pointing out to them their “unbelief” which gives a chance for the unbelievers to be grafted into the olive tree. He admonished the new Gentile believer to stay humble and not arrogant or they too will be cut off if they continue to sin despite knowing the truth. The fear of the Lord will keep them meek. When a believer does not acknowledge God’s sovereignty and power, they will produce pride.

REFLECTION

·       Can an unbeliever have the fear of the Lord and be humble on their own?

MATTHEW 18 HUMBLE LIKE A CHILD

Posted on by

March 23

MATTHEW 18

At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” 2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5 “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, 6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

7 “Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! 8 And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

                                                                                                                      – Matthew 18:1-9

MATTHEW 18 HUMBLE LIKE A CHILD

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

Jesus Christ calls his children to be humble like a child

Children are pure and innocent, they are not full of pride

They have no preconceived notion of things yet

They are dependent on their caregivers and parents

They are meek, trust easily and free to explore

They are vulnerable and uncorrupted and thankful

God’s people are called to be like these children

The kingdom of heaven is open to all those who are like them.

Jesus knew the competitive spirit that dwells in all men, including his disciples. So, he explains to them which one is going to likely be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We see how Jesus has a special spot for the little children. He tells them that they cannot be great in the heavenly kingdom if they do not enter it like a child. So, what did Jesus mean by this? Does it mean to be childish and act like a child? No, Jesus focused on the qualities of a child that he wants his disciples to follow to enter God’s kingdom. He specifically emphasized humility in verse 4 as a characteristic of a child that they need to possess. A child is humble because it is still developing and growing and the child does not yet have any notions of the world. He is just taking in all the things he observes and experiences. Why does Jesus specifically stress this trait of a child? It manifests purity, dependence on their parents and caregivers, innocence and open-mindedness. There is no corruption in their minds and hearts yet. They are open for teaching and reproof and correction. On the other hand, an adult is the opposite of all of these traits. An adult walking without the Lord is stubborn, proud, arrogant, rebellious and full of himself. They are deceived in their “self-centeredness and self-reliance.” They are proud and unteachable and corrupt. They don’t depend on God but rely heavily on their own understanding and strength.

REFLECTION

·       Are you childlike? Why do you think so? What are the proofs of your childlikeness?

MATTHEW 5 BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT & THE MEEK

Posted on by

March 22

MATTHEW 5

 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sonsof God.10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. – Matthew 5:1-12

MATTHEW 5 BLESSED ARE THE POOR IN SPIRIT & THE MEEK

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

The poor in spirit acknowledges their sinfulness and need for Christ

They know their place before the Master and bows down only to Jesus

They are consecrated by God and shall receive heaven as their inheritance

On their foreheads are written the names of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Father

The meek and humble of heart shall reap the earth that is going to be renewed

With that promise, they will be stewards of a new place to worship Christ alone.

Since the theme of this month is humility, I will only focus on verse 3 and 5 of the Beatitudes since they are about the poor in spirit and the meek. Often when we hear “poor in spirit” many of us mistake it for the materially poor but Jesus was referring here to the prophet Isaiah’s words in 66:2 “But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” From this prophetic word of Isaiah, we now know that he is focusing on those who recognize their weaknesses but also know their strengths because they know that they are image-bearers of God. God looks for those who acknowledge their true identity in him. The poor in spirit also are lowly and are corrected and follow God’s word so that they stay in righteousness. They are deeply intimate with God so they know when they have left that godly state and they know that they have offended God alone.

Verse 5 says that the meek will inherit the earth. A comment on a website says this about this verse “As we have seen, the earth has become the location of the kingdom of heaven. We tend to think of the kingdom of heaven as heaven, a place completely different (golden streets, gates of pearl, a mansion over the hilltop) from anything we know here. But God’s promise of the kingdom is a new heaven and a new earth (Revelation 21:1).Those who submit their power to God will inherit the perfect kingdom coming to earth. In this kingdom, we receive by God’s grace the good things the arrogant fruitlessly strive for in the present earths.” The meek will rule the new heaven and the new earth because of their total submission to God.

REFLECTION

·       Share some misconceptions about “poor in spirit” and the “meek” that you have heard before.

MATTHEW 6 PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS HUMBLY

Posted on by

March 21

MATTHEW 6

Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. – Matthew 6:1-6

MATTHEW 6 PRACTICE RIGHTEOUSNESS HUMBLY

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a servant of God, you ought to follow his example

Jesus did not announce all the good things he was doing

He obeyed the will of his Father discreetly and meekly

He didn’t boast or announce his salvation plan loudly

Instead, he obeyed his Father’s will submissively and humbly

He instructs his people not to make a show of their deeds but to do it silently.

In this account, Jesus teaches his followers how to do works of their salvation and how to pray in the humblest manner. He pointed out what the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets and warned them not to follow such acts. The hypocrites do not do it for the love or service of others, but to seek praise for themselves. They love accolades and being elevated so they can gain rewards for their achievements or good behavior. But, isn’t it human nature to perform and do as the hypocrites did? Yes, our flesh wants attention for the “self” and wants to be proud of what we have accomplished. This is why Jesus warns us against following such natural tendencies to feed our sinful nature.

Jesus gave instructions to his followers which were all counter-intuitive to the world system. Here are some of those directives he mentioned in this account:

·       Do not do righteous deeds to be praised or else the rewards will no longer be in heaven since you have already claimed them when you have performed it in front of others.

·       When you give to the needy, do not announce it so that you can be praised; do it quietly instead.

·       Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing when you give to the needy because by doing so, you will have your reward in heaven and not on earth because you did it secretly.

·       When you pray, go into your room and make sure no one sees you so that your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

REFLECTION

·       How are Jesus’ instructions to his followers against the world system?

COLOSSIANS 3 PUT ON HUMILITY AND MEEKNESS

Posted on by

March 20

COLOSSIANS 3

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

                                                                                – Colossians 3:12-17

COLOSSIANS 3 PUT ON HUMILITY AND MEEKNESS

A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses

As a child chosen by God, one is called to put on the new self

Since the old life is self-preservation which opposes God’s provision

The believer is called to change his own desires towards pleasing God

While the unbeliever always prioritizes the desires of his flesh

To put on humility, self-reliance becomes God-dependence

To wear meekness is manifested in self-control and patience.

Matthew 5:3 gives us a picture of what humility looks like. In the Sermon in the Mount, Jesus says that the poor in spirit are blessed and will receive the kingdom of heaven. Material poverty is not the same as spiritual poverty. To be poor in the context of the world is to have less wealth, power and earthly things. Spiritual poverty is a recognition of one’s dependence on God. A spiritually poor person humbly admits that he is nothing without God. He doesn’t have any pride on what he is capable of doing or having because he knows it all comes from God. Humility is the opposite of pride, stubbornness or outburst of anger. A proud person is self-willed. Humility focuses on one’s posture towards God. A humble person admits his weaknesses and sins and goes before the Lord to be corrected and disciplined.

Meekness is mentioned in the beatitudes in Matthew 5:5 where Jesus says that they are blessed for they will inherit the earth. Meekness is the outward expression of humility. A meek person does not have a resistant and hostile spirit. He is teachable and doesn’t retaliate when exposed, wronged or being corrected. He doesn’t insist on his own ways or beliefs. It is strength under control or a desire to yield to God’s will and discipline. Meekness is the opposite of retaliation, stubbornness and self-will.

Paul calls the church of believers in Colossae to wear their new nature in Christ. He calls them to put on love and compassion, bearing with one another and living in harmony and peace. What I’d like to focus on in this account is humility and meekness. It is the first step to walking in love and compassion. If we take this first step, we can navigate the tendencies of the flesh towards sin. We will be able to hear the leading of the Holy Spirit in praising and glorifying God with a humble heart and meek spirit.

REFLECTION

  • How is humility different from meekness? Why do many mistake them as synonyms?