The Exaltation of the Humble
Read the Text: Matthew 23
Memorize the Text: He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command.” (Matthew 22:37)
Consider the Text: Matthew 23:11-12
People often value others based on their actions and roles in life. For example, we honor and praise musicians, actors, and other celebrities because of what they do for a living. The underlying influence rests on the perceived value of the person's work, ability, or wealth. The world glorifies those who exalt themselves and elevate their value above others'. In Matthew 23, Jesus addressed the self-exaltation of the Pharisees and proclaimed the truth that would turn their value upside down.
Jesus declared that greatness did not come because of one's ability or activity in the world, but instead, TRUE GREATNESS WAS MARKED BY SERVANTHOOD. Jesus knew that the Pharisees perceived themselves as greater than others and that people in the culture viewed these religious leaders with a sense of honor. He pointed to the reality that the Pharisees served themselves and elevated their rights and wants above others. Christ brought their hypocrisy to light and declared the different way of the Kingdom of God.
The mark of servanthood meant that the follower of Christ should be in the position of serving and surrendering. We should serve the Lord, first and foremost, and serve others. Our service to the Lord reflects our commitment to him as the Master of our life and our desire to please him. As we serve God, we serve others as well. The mindset to serve others comes when we view others more highly than ourselves and seek to meet their needs. This faithfulness only comes when we surrender our earthly titles, positions, and rights at the foot of the cross.
Jesus revealed that everyone will experience the reality of exaltation and humility. The individual who exalts themselves on earth will be HUMBLED BY THE LORD. As Jesus addressed the religious leaders, the truth came that their arrogance would fall, and the Lord would bring them down. This transition would occur because the self-righteous activity of the Pharisees would fail to appease the Lord. As the leaders constructed their life on the exalting of the self, the Lord promised to destroy the temporary exaltation and bring forth eternal humility in the promise of eternal punishment for those separated from Christ.
Countering the caution to the proud came the promise to the humble. Jesus declared that the HUMBLE WILL BE EXALTED. This truth did not promise a life on easy street for the believer but guaranteed eternal exaltation for those who have a relationship with Christ. The idea comes that those who serve and remain low will be lifted high. Thus, the one who is last becomes first, and the lowly one becomes exalted. This transition occurs not because of the individual's worth but because of the promise of a relationship with the Lord.
The challenge for us today is to check our desire for honor and praise. Do we maintain a spirit of humility and service when we receive the praise of the world? Are we pursuing to please the Lord as a servant or serve the Lord to receive praise? The challenge is to check our hearts and seek to remain humble and faithful as we trust in him. May we commit to pursuing a life of a humble servant over the honor in this world.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
