Do you want others to see your preeminence and how you’re more important than others and how you should be considered first and your time and your schedule and your ideologies and your preferences should always be acquiesced to?  Many of us serve in the body that way.  “I’ll be happy to help out if it doesn’t interfere and make things inconvenient for me.  If it fits into my schedule, I’m ready to go.”  Is that humility?  Is that a servant’s heart?  We serve when they come at midnight and our children are in bed with us; amen?  Not when it’s convenient.  You know, it wasn’t very convenient for Jesus, the Holy One, to be made sin for us.  Let’s check humility from this perspective.  Is it done grudgingly?  Is our service done grudgingly?  Let me remind you, “God loveth a cheerful giver.”  That’s not just talking about money.  He loves a cheerful giver, a cheerful, let’s say it this way, a cheerful servant.  He wants us to be able to gird ourselves with that towel and wash one another’s feet cheerfully, counting it a privilege.  Seeing it as unnatural, but the supernatural grace of God working through us because we are abiding in the vine.  What a rejoicing that brings when we’re serving cheerfully.  When we’re serving out of abiding in Christ and it’s Him living His life through us; amen?  That’s what makes it all worthwhile.  It’s not even the service that’s done, it’s the recognition, “I’m abiding in Christ.  This isn’t me.”  Or, a better way to say that is, “This is the new me, the new man created in Christ Jesus,” amen?

So, as it relates to the church, Ephesians, Chapter 4, verse 1‑3, a passage we’re very familiar with.  He says, “...walk worthy of that vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”  The only way we’re going to keep unity, the only way we’re going to stay strong in these last days, the expression of genuine love is in humility, serving one another.  In humility, serving one another, esteeming one another.  Philippians, Chapter 2, verse 3, turn over there.  “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”  Does anybody need work on that besides me?  I wonder if I’m the only person that needs a little bit more of Philippians 2:3 working in me?  Lowliness of mind, how we really see ourselves.  You know when you get quiet before God with this mirror of His Word piercing deep into your heart…  “Lord, I believe, help my unbelief.”  I want to look into that mirror and more frequently see Jesus.  I still see, too often, self‑will, my way, my time.  I still want recognition for how much I’ve put into this and how much I’ve sacrificed and how much I’ve contributed.  I would appreciate a little recognition for that.

But every time I think that way, it brings me to the passage in Luke 18:10, “Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers,” and we do this too often, “or even as this publican.”  Oh, we don’t express that, many times, but we come together and we’re so thankful we’re not like so‑and‑so.  “I’m so glad I’ve passed beyond that stage of my Christianity.  I’m just so thankful and humbled by the greatness You’ve given me, and I’m not like others.”  That’s cold to say with the guy standing there, man, it’s just like…  “I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much his eyes to heaven, but smote on his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”  Red ink shouts, “I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Father, we thank You for Your Word.  We need help.  We need Your visitation.  We need a daily cross.  We think too much of ourselves.  We place the wrong value on ourselves and on others.  Lord, help us to see that to prepare ourselves in holiness, cleansing ourselves as we await Your return, there must be a motive and an empowering of humility or our labor is in vain.  Help us.  Be merciful to us and be glorified in our midst and for that, Father, we’ll give You all the praise and all of the honor, in Jesus’ name; amen.