Today’s liturgy speaks about humility. Biblical humility means believing what God says about us over anyone else’s opinion, including our own. It is to be free of concern for our own ego that we unreservedly elevate those around us.

However said and done, it is not easy to take our own opinions lightly. Everything inside of us, our flesh, wants to prove that our opinions are the most valuable ones and should be taken seriously, not just by others but also by God Himself. I personally had to allow the Holy Spirit to break a huge resistance inside of me over a period of several years before I could sincerely laugh at my own ideas and plans, and accept another person’s opinion as better than mine.

One important factor in learning to be humble is to learn to honour every human being, irrespective of their status or educational background. At a recent weekend program for our community, a speaker said something so precious, that I wish to write here. She said, “We must honour every person, not because they are honourable but because we are honourable.” That challenged me from my depths and made it so clear as to how the Lord Jesus could honour even the woman caught in the act of adultery.

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit, begins a significant life transformation, moving us from a life in the world to a life in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit who makes God’s Word and God’s thoughts more real in our life, starts burning our pride by His love.

The love of the Father becomes more real in our life. Our identity as beloved sons and daughters of God helps us to renounce the lies that the world and the enemy speak into our minds and hearts.

Our eyes are focused more and more upon Him and we grow in our desire for intimacy with the Lord. When we grow in our relationship with the Lord, and allow the Holy Spirit to fill us to overflow, we start to live and serve from that overflowing grace, and not from our self-effort.

When the Lord Jesus becomes the centre of our life, our pride and self-glory lose its place, as we give all the glory to the One who is enthroned in our hearts.

The Holy Spirit also opens our inner eyes to see the Lord Jesus in others. No longer do we have to strive to love and serve those who are around us when we have eyes to see the ‘gold’ inside them. This is the good news that our world needs today, the remedy for the rage and hatred that destroys many lives.

Prayer: Abba Father, you are the God of bounty. Your love is enough for us. Amen