by Ethan
Read: Exodus 17:8-19:15, Matthew 22:34-23:12, Psalm 27:7-14, Proverbs 6:27-35
And don’t let anyone call you ‘Teacher,’ for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant.
But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Matthew 23:10-12
Relate: I don’t know about you but almost every time I try to do something to look cool or impress anyone that is when I am at my worst. Rarely does it not backfire in my face. I can’t go on a hike without tripping over myself. Or I feel proud of myself for climbing a huge rock because at 25 feet up I fell and slid straight down luckily not breaking a bone. Clearly, God has a way of humbling me that I can’t escape.
React: Here God does not say let other lips praise you, but instead, he says let no lips praise you. I don’t praise myself often but when someone praises me it is typically because I want them to. Because I did something I hoped they would praise me for. That praise is worthless and false, not because of anything they did but because I exalted myself. I let others lift me up, though I should bring myself down. I let others call me a teacher though I am a student to the Messiah.
The Messiah is the one who deserves all praise. Yet we try to take some for ourselves. Jesus humbled himself better than we did. The God of the universe was made a man simply so he could serve. He came to lower himself below a traiter and wash the feet of Judas. He lowered himself below us all to carry our sins on the cross. That’s our teacher. A man who can never be compared to, yet we struggle to humble ourselves.
Respond:
Dear Lord,
Help me to humble myself not just before you but before my brothers and sisters in Christ. Let me take this a step further and wash the feet of the lost. Lower me below my enemies. Help me do this with your strength and with no ego. Lord continue to humble me when I do not humble myself.
Amen
Nearly all posts in February and March have as special guest authors the Juniors from the Christian Living class at Faith Academy.
THE RIVER WALK 
The word Teacher means different things in different cultures. In Japan it means he/she who walked the path before you.
Thanks for sharing, this it is so important for me to constantly self examine my motives to make sure God gets all the glory.
Thanks for sharing. I have fallen here and there quite a bit. A haughty spirit goes before a fall (Pr 16:18). So true. We probably work on acquiring true humility throughout our lives.