“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.” Proverbs 22:4 NLT
“Secrets to riches, honor and long life!”
Doesn’t that grab your attention?!
It could be a popular advertisement on social media or a bestselling book.
Riches, honor and long life are not new desires that have suddenly blossomed in our culture, they have been desires in human hearts for thousands of years.
There have been various methods to pursue them over the years, but the formula for success remains the same.
“Humility and fear of the Lord.”
Humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less. Humility is preferring others.
One of the challenges with humility is that it requires an honest assessment of our own hearts. Few people admit that they struggle with pride, yet most people do. 65% of Americans believe they are above average, and a 1977 study found that 94% of college professors thought they were above the average of their peers. Obviously, there is a disconnect between perception and reality.
The phenomenon is called illusionary superiority. We have a tendency to think that we are better than we really are and then we validate that thought by comparing ourselves to others. We might think pride is something that others struggle with but not ourselves. A way to deal with pride is by cultivating humility.
How do i become more humble?
To try to cultivate humility, you may want to try one or more of these activities:
Spend time listening to others. …
Practice mindfulness, and focus on the present. …
Be grateful for what you have. …
Ask for help when you need it. …
Seek feedback from others on a regular basis. …
Review your actions against the language of pride.
This week my prayer for you is that you would cultivate humility, fear the Lord and then that the Lord would bless you with riches, honor, and a long life.
In His Hands,
John
