Old Jerry

Since I have retired and have been able to volunteer for the senior citizens in our county. I see that it has put Christ’s influence before me and I the best that I can I have been following that. I do not seek to increase my influence.

The way that having an abundance of wealth and knowledge makes us feel superior is by thinking that we can buy our way out of any circumstance or we have the knowledge can talk our way of the circumstance. False doctrines and heresies give us a feeling of superiority to lesser Christians who believe differently because we can see that they aren’t following God the way that we do. You can show humility if you are wealthy and/or well-educated by volunteering your services.

Christ’s humility requires us to associate with those considered lowly because the are all part of the body. Every part of the body is there for a purpose. I suppose the “lowly” in my community are the poor. Our church is breaking down the barriers between these people and ourselves by sponsoring a charter school. The message of the lack of favoritism that is sent to the world is that we accept everybody and want to bring them to Jesus.

The reason that unforgiveness and humility are incompatible is because if you don’t forgive then you are saying you are too proud to forgive. Personal forgiveness has nothing to do with judicial determination and sentencing. Personal forgiveness is something that you have to do from the heart and that will clear the mind. Judicial determination is what happens to the other person.

When you have a judgmental spirit then you are always trying to find fault with the other person. So, this condition is not compatible with a humble person. We can maintain an attitude of mercy toward sinners by doing what we were put here on earth to do. Then we will be able to work with others. If we are comparing ourselves with others then we will probably find fault with them and we won’t be humble. Backbiting and a critical spirit betray a judgmental spirit because it again is comparing others with ourselves.

If we are conceited then that means that they are better then everybody and we can not communicate with them. If they are conceited then they don’t need to listen to others because they have all the answers. I have seen what happens when we don’t have unity with the spirit in church, then then the church splits. That is why it was so important for the disciples to have unity. I don’t see any tension in our church.

The relationship between patience to humility is that you have to have patience to be humble. The thing that motivates impatient outbursts is we want something done or said and we want it now. We have got an agenda and we want to complete it as soon as possible. It takes patience to have God work in our “long-suffering”. Forbearance is vital in marriage because you have to put with them and they have to put up with you.

I have always thought that being submissive is being humble. Opposing church leaders often exhibit pride because they want to look better then you. When I have to submit to a harsh person, all I have to do is keep in mind that I am submitting to the Lord.

Humility shows respect to others that shows that we are putting them above ourselves. It shows that we honor them by what they do and we don’t disrespect them. I think to minister to someone for whom we have no respect we have to ask God for some help. When we interrupt someone, it shows disrespect because we don’t think what they are saying is worth listening to.

The difference between temperance and abstinence is that you will do something in moderation and abstinence means you won’t do it at all. Alcohol and drugs make you mind go numb and you do dumb things and it disrupts your humble life. To me self-control and “moderations in all things” are about the same.

Good deeds show that you have got others in mind and in that you have humility. In the early church, they shared their food and sold land to help those that could not provide for themselves. I don’t think that you can have faith without good deeds.

Pride fuels conflict because we think we have to be better than the other person. Fighting and quarreling prevent a peaceable life because you are always fighting. The root of fighting is because we want and do not ask. I respond to conflict by telling what I believe and letting the other person tell what they believe and leave it at that.

Following God’s way makes us humble because we are following God’s commands and not our own.

Pride is God’s adversary because we think that we can do it all when we really need God’s help. God has given us a gift so that we can accomplish certain things. But it is always God grace that forgives us. God “lifting us up in due time” looks like when we have been praying about a situation and it doesn’t look like it will ever happen and then it does. That is all because of God’s timing.

The role that pride has in this world is to be proud of what you can do but give the glory to God. You should always give it your best shot. But you should always thank God for the gift that He has given you. If you are “stealing the glory”, then as a rule there is no glory to steal. If you give the glory to God, then things will work out better for you.