Years ago, I went grocery shopping with my children.  Taking two carts, my eight year old Elizabeth pushed one and I the other.  As we were going up and down the aisles, a woman approached me and told me that I had the most well behaved children.  I thanked her and pridefully thought how brave I was to grocery shop with four children knowing that many mothers would never dare to do what I did. (Disgusting!)  Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”  I was about to fall, by God’s grace.  Within moments of my prideful thinking, Elizabeth ran over her two year old brother Jacob with a cart filled with groceries and at the same moment I ran over five year old James’ fingers because he was riding below and put his fingers under the wheel of the cart.  The loud crying of the children woke up baby Meredith who immediately starting screaming.  It was an awful moment in my mothering.  I left the two carts filled with groceries, put the children in the car, buckled myself in exhausted and humbled.  I think I shed a few tears as well.

This story of ‘stellar’ mothering brings me to the second part of Romans 12:16 which says, “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly.  Never be wise in your own eyes.”

What does ‘haughty’ mean?

Haughty means “to be blatantly and disdainfully proud : having or showing an attitude of superiority and contempt for people or things perceived to be inferior.” (Merriam-Websters). I think this is how I felt momentarily when complimented my that sweet lady.

What does ‘lowly’ mean?

Lowly means “to be humble in manner or spirit : free from self-assertive pride.” (Merriam-Websters). I think this is how I felt upon leaving the store after all came crashing down. 

Jesus told a parable about a similar situation.  Here it is in as found in the book of Luke.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14)

We are living in times when we are seeing so much haughtiness.  Haughtiness in politics.  Haughtiness on both sides of the racial tensions of our day.  Haughtiness in wearing masks or not wearing masks.  Haughtiness everywhere.  Because of this, we are seeing judgement from a Holy God…fires, locusts, catastrophic storms, a pandemic.  

The Lord mentions this almost word for word in II Chronicles 7:13-14 which says, “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if My people who are called by My name humble themselves, and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked (haughty) ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

May we, in Christ, be humble and lowly like the tax collector, not proud and haughty like the Pharisee.  May we pray and seek the Lord.  May we turn from our sin.  For those reading that are not in Christ, may this be the day that the Lord draws you to Himself by trusting Him for salvation.

Blessings to you,

Heather

When You Pray…

Each day: 

1. Pray for yourself.
2. Pray for you spouse.
3. Pray for your children.

Weekly:

Sunday – Government

Monday – Immediate Family

Tuesday – Your Church 

Wednesday – Your Extended Family

Thursday – Your Spouse’s Extended Family

Friday – Your Friends

Saturday – Variety

Feel free to go back and review in more detail the weekly prayer points.