Thurs., Oct. 4, 2018

James 4:10 – Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

In the last six weeks, we’ve had SO. MUCH. RAIN. Hubby Rick recently checked the rain gauge. Once again, it was over flowing.

So many families have been affected by flooding in houses, basements and businesses. Lots of people trying to figure out next steps. We live in an area where lots of crops are grown. The fields are wet, and harvest has been slow.

I’m a little embarrassed to write this next paragraph. Ever since we’ve had so much rain, the doors in our 110+-year-old house just haven’t shut quite right. I know. They are just doors. It’s really not a big deal. With the additional humidity, it seems every door in our house has swollen.

They are like pregnant women in their third trimester who can’t get comfortable. Every time we try to open or shut a door, it gets stuck. It won’t budge. It takes lots of coaxing and often some good-old-fashioned forcefulness to get the door open or shut.

It seems very door has been affected. The one going to the basement. The doors that are part of our beautiful porch. The bathroom door, the outside doors; every single door has become like a stubborn 3-year-old that has their mind made up and doesn’t want to budge. Our very old wooden doors have expanded with additional moisture in the air.

Rick was convinced this would change as soon as it froze. We had a slight frost over last weekend. But with another 80-degree day this week, they are still swollen and a bit disagreeable. The doors like being a bit bigger and more challenging and they are in no hurry to return to their regularly scheduled size.

Aren’t there times when we’re a bit like those doors? We want to be a little bigger than our britches. We want people to notice when we do something out of the ordinary. We want pats on the back and people to acknowledge how cool we really are and that we recently rocked it.

Our bloated egos are just like our stuck doors: difficult, demanding and requiring extra-special attention and care. We think that sometimes it’s good and advantageous for us to make sure others know just how much we give, or how bright we are or what a difference having us on your team makes a difference.

But there’s the real deal. When we humble ourselves, God acknowledges our good deeds in a way that really is more appropriate. In most instances, should we yearn for the recognition? No. I’m convinced that a humble heart will receive some additional bonus in the end. Somehow, grace will understand just what is necessary from us.

Eventually, the moisture will come out of the air and the doors will return to their easy-in/easy-out status. It won’t be long, and we’ll be wishing less cold air penetrated from the outside into the inside. But before this time rolls around, I pray we can prick our bloated egos and discover the joy of humbleness in our lives. With humbleness, we don’t need bloated egos and exaggerated self-worth in our lives.  We’ll see these values come from God, which is really more significant in our lives.

For God’s encouragement to remain humble in our daily living, I am thankful.

Almighty God – help us to remain humble in your eyes. Encourage us to set-aside our bloated egos and follow You. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

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