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March 18, 2024 | Daily Devotionals | March 18

The Door of Humility

 

Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.  Philippians 2:7-8 (NLT)

 

Constantine the Great—the first Christian Roman emperor—founded the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 330AD. It’s one of the oldest standing churches in the world and Christians have been worshipping on the spot for seventeen centuries. The church’s entrance is just four feet high and you nearly have to kneel to get through it. The Door of Humility (as it’s called) didn’t start out small, though. After the Crusades, the entrance was made smaller for a very practical reason: to deter invaders on camel and horseback, forcing them to dismount and negotiate the door one man at a time. Much easier to defend.

 

Humility is like that: we don’t typically choose to stoop down. Life’s circumstances typically force us downward. Like walking through the Door of Humility, though, it’s necessary to “go low” in order to enter the Lord’s presence. Odd word, humility. It’s not like we can get in a circle and say, “On three, everyone be humble.” For God’s man, humility is both a perspective and a process. 

 

Our perspective of strength changes radically when we realize how much Jesus humbled Himself in order to hang on a cross for us. Here was a man of strength, who if He desired, could call down legions of angels to wipe out the Pharisees wanting to kill Him. Jesus chose what we can’t choose: Suffering. On purpose. That’s perspective. Jesus’ power was illuminated by the fact that while He had the ability to conquer, He chose crucifixion. 

 

So how do we “do” humility? By studying the actions of our King. By modeling His words and mimicking His actions. You won’t find a lot of humility in this world. Flexing of power? Yes. Posturing, posing, and pushing for position? No doubt. Look to the cross and what it represents—Jesus’ choice to sacrifice His own desires and needs for those of others. That’s process that leads us through the Door of Humility.

 

Father, humility isn’t weakness—don’t let me buy into the world’s definition of strength.

Image Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Catholicism/comments/rsx7c5/the_small_entrance_to_the_church_of_nativity_in/

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