What Does Humble Look Like?
The Lord personally dwells with and refreshes the humble. Isaiah 57:15
I’m sure many of us are familiar with the story of the prodigal son. If not you can read it in Luke 15. I remember thinking that the son returned home covered in pig slop, which was an apt metaphor for all the messes we make in life; nothing like a little barnyard stench to get you feeling humble. But once humbled, the son presented himself to his father, admitted his mistakes, and asked for a job as a slave with no privileges. Instead of blasting his son for blowing all his inheritance on wine, women, and song, the father ran to him, melted into his arms, and called for a celebration: “This son of mine was dead and has now returned to life,” he proclaimed (Luke 15:24).
Everything changed for the son because he was willing to humble himself before the truth of his circumstances and before his father, who was waiting eagerly for him to return. It never dawned on the son that he would receive this kind of acceptance. He never thought he would witness such love and compassion from his father. His first comments were, just let me be your unpaid slave. How motivating it is when we ponder the emotion that God has for each of us. Not just emotion but backed with action; lavishing the prodigal with the feast of the fatted calf and cleaning him up, getting him ready for the brand new fresh clothes of righteousness so-to-speak. All the son did was recognize who he was and where he was. That’s all he did, and then the Father throws his arms around him, kisses him and weeps for joy. Wow!
What is it going to do to us when we really get it, when we fully grasp our heavenly Father’s total acceptance and absolute unconditional love for us? Why would anyone not want to come home to this kind of Father?
Father, I have said it before but sometimes there is no other way for me to describe your love for me. It is just AWESOME!