“Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence, and do not claim a place among his great men;”
At first this verse can seem a bit humbling. Good, it should. However the truth it shares goes deeper than that message only. Very few of us live around kings. I suspect most of us don’t live under their rule or are ever in their presence. Solomon refers often to “kings and great men”. This can, for us, be anyone of great leadership, wealth, influence or power. In his day it was a well known fact that princes did not like to be equaled or bested in public. It would often turn humiliating to enter the kings presence in a loud or showy way only to be put in ones place in front of others. Then as now it is much better to walk humbly and if exulting is to be done let another do it. Jesus is the ultimate example of this. Scripture tells us that He surly had the right to exult Himself in whatever company He was found, yet He humbled Himself even to the point of a humiliating death on a cross. Humility is not just a way to act, it is a true representation of our status in life. Whatever we possess or have done that makes us proud needs to reflect the reality that all we have and are capable of is a gift from our creator. Stewarding our gifts and talents to their fullest and to His glory is our expected way to live. Today live humbly while your life reflects the power and glory of our true King. #BeTheEdge
“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” Philippians 2:8 NIV
