Let my light shine

As I sort through a filing cabinet filled with notes and papers from a lifetime of “information gathering” and Bible study, I’m finding many interesting items. One was a list of character traits from a severe self-examination — where I’d written the word PRIDE across almost all of them. 
 

At that time, I’m sure I confessed my pride, as I have done many times since then. However, I’m becoming more aware that false modesty is self-centered also. It is not the opposite of pride. Pride focuses on me with “look at me” but false modesty does the same using a self-pitying, attention seeking “I’m not much” attitude. 

Instead of these extremes, God calls for a different approach…

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3)

The Lord exhorts me to be sober-minded and to think clearly. I can examine myself but with an honest and objective attitude, assessing the gifts God has given me without an exaggerated opinion. Should I start underestimating what I can do for God, I’m displaying a false modesty rather than humility. This false modesty is that “I’m no good,” timid, unassertive, spineless attitude that is easily dominated or intimidated. It is repulsive, while humility is not. 

The Bible describes humility as a proper estimation of oneself. I am weak and utterly dependent on God for everything, yet because I am made in God’s image and reborn in Jesus Christ, I can do all things through Him who gives me what I need. Yet I’m not to make too much or too little of either my weaknesses or strengths because true humility is never self-focused. As Paul wrote and Jesus demonstrated, humility simply considers others better than myself and then does whatever God asks, knowing He gives me whatever I need to do it.

Thinking others are “better” is not a false consideration either. I’m not to evaluate the worth or talents of others in a sinful comparison to myself, but care for them, putting their needs ahead of my own. That means others are not necessarily “better” than I am, but their concerns “surpass” my own. They are more important. 

This is how Christ’s humility expressed itself. He did not seek His own good, but the good of others. This humility is the cure for pride, selfish ambition, vain conceit, and a whole host of other vices. It also sets me free to shine as Jesus said.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16)

It is easy to read these verses and say, “I’m not good enough” but if I say that I am not sufficient for this, then false modesty keeps me from obedience. On the other hand, if I boast in my abilities, pride also prevents the light of Christ to shine out of my life. 

This reminds me of black holes. They are celestial bodies whose gravity is so strong their light cannot escape. If I think, “Who me? I’m not much” I am pulling back the light of Christ toward myself and hiding it. Just as pride can keep me from shining, so can false modesty.

Oswald Chambers says that “every religious sentiment that is not carried out on its right level carries with it a secret immorality. That is the way human nature is constituted; whenever you allow an emotion and do not carry it out on its legitimate level, it will react on an illegitimate level.” 

In other words, we need to watch out for extremes. In the idea of serving Christ with humility, I’m not to let the light of Christ degenerate into a false modesty that focuses on me, me, me. If my light is going to shine, pride is not the answer either. Instead, I must be willing to be exalted or abased, lifted up or put down, trusting the Lord and caring for others no matter what else is happening. 

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Lord, to shine means to focus first on You and then on the needs of others. I cannot obey You any other way. Puffed up boasting will not work, but neither will a self-centered false modesty. You give Your people all we need to serve You in the right way and with the right attitudes. Keep me from the extremes, but more than that, keep my focus where it should be.

Jesus, my Friend

Yesterday God showed me some ways to evaluate true friendship. One is how friends respond to sudden wealth. Lottery winners say they are inundated with “friends” who come out of the woodwork. They act as if they are long-lost buddies, but are really after a share of the cash. True friends rejoice instead of hold their hands out.

Today’s reading from Spurgeon points to the other friend-test — adversity. How do people respond when I am in trouble? Do they run away or do they stick by me? True friends are revealed when I have trials.

However, true friends also are revealed when they have trials. A gentleman in our church became ill while on vacation last month. He knew that he would not make it home, so he made a video. He spoke to his grandchildren and to several young people he called his “adopted grandchildren.” He pointed them to Jesus and sang to them. This video, played at his funeral, revealed a heart that thought of others. Even in his last days here on earth, he was following the example of Jesus.

Jesus knew when He was facing death also. He took His disciples to the garden of Gethsemane where He prayed about it. When Judas and the soldiers came to arrest Him, He was ready, but He was thinking about His disciples too.

So he asked them again, “Whom do you seek?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So, if you seek me, let these men go.” (John 18:7–8)

As Spurgeon points out, this is love, constant, self-forgetting, faithful love. Yet as the devotional writer also says there is far more here; these words are the very soul and spirit of the atonement. The Good Shepherd is about to lay down His life for the sheep. He pleads that they must therefore go free. The Substitute is bound, and justice demands that those for whom He stands as a substitute should go their way. Yet in this, Jesus is more than a substitute. He is my Friend.

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another. (John 15:13–17)

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Lord, when I am in trouble, my world tends to get smaller. I think of myself and my situation, and maybe those closest to me. While this may not be overtly sinful, it is certainly not what You did in Your greatest trial. This year You gave me a focus verse and remind me again today that I need to grow in my love for others and in selflessness.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourself. Look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4)

You counted others more significant than Yourself. You did it as You walked this earth, and You did it in the garden and on the cross. Obedience to the Father was Your consuming interest, so You took care of that, but dying was also for others, for me. Your death gave me life, and with that life the ability to bear fruit in Your name. Because of Your great heart, You can now call me Your friend. Grant me grace to be a true friend — to You and to those around me.