We had a situation that came up just recently, and it was a business transaction.  And somebody made the comment, “Well, why don’t you go in and try to lowball them and see what you can get this for?”  And I said, “No, I won’t do that.  I do unto others as I would have them do unto me.”  “Yeah, but you could save yourself X number of dollars.”  “But I want to do it God’s way.  I’d rather let men see me and see Jesus in me than to make a few bucks.”  Humility doesn’t have to win every contest, every business deal.  Humility is content in God’s presence and is more concerned that God gets glorified than that we get exalted, that we benefit.  And if we can do that in every area of life—you see, there are many of us that think that, “Well, this is how I conduct myself in business, and here’s how I conduct myself with the body of Christ.” 

We don’t have two lives.  Humility, this pride of life, meaning pride in misevaluating our worth, ourselves.  We just have to win every deal; we have to get the best for ourselves.  “I will not let somebody take an advantage of me.”  Why not?  If it brings glory to God.  Aren’t you better off, Paul said, to suffer than to go out into the courts and allow the church to be mocked (1 Corinthians 6:7).  Why don’t you just forgive the brother?  “No way, man; he owes me.”  You’re the debtor.  Are we the debtors or not?  “Yeah, I’m the debtor to God, but I’m not going to be a debtor to any person.”  Can you suffer wrong and live with it?  Can you be hated and love?  There’s some real humility.  How about blessing those that curse you?

I think these are some of the areas that the Lord wants to work in us as it relates just to Him and our relationship with Him that will enable us, then, to apply it practically toward one another and see that edification of the church.  I’ll close with this: 1 Peter 5, verses 5 and 6, as we talked about humbling yourself under the mighty hand of God.  But he says, “You younger, I want you to submit and be subject.  Likewise, you younger, submit yourself to the elder.”  He goes down and says, then, be “subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.” 

That word “clothed” in the Greek is very interesting.  It’s a word that’s used to tie on the apron of a slave.  It reminds us of John, Chapter 13, where Jesus girded Himself and then began to wash the disciple’s feet.  Many of us want to emulate the Lord in all of the great demonstrations of power—the power to heal, the power to cast out devils, many of the great signs and wonders that the Lord did—but how many of us desire to wash each other’s feet and let that be what you’re known for as a Christian?

Father, we thank You for Your Word and for Your grace, Your love for us.  We ask that You would strengthen us.  Be glorified in us that men would look upon us and see You, Lord, and see our good works and glorify our Father, which is in heaven.  We ask that, Father, in the name of Jesus, amen.