This week let’s tackle the pure, child-like heart of HUMILITY as we spend time with our God. We know that pride comes before the fall, so HUMILITY must come before we are lifted up. Only the Holy Spirit can truly make us humble, so may that be our prayer this week. And please pray for the Hollywood entertainment industry, which we consider to be the world’s most influential mission field!
Karen Covell, Kim Roberts, and HPN
Day 1
Scripture: Proverbs 18:12
HUMILITY BEFORE HONOR
“The truth is that everyone pays attention to who’s number one at the box office. And none of it matters, because the only thing that really exists is the connection the audience has with a movie.” Tom Hanks
PRAY: Dear Heavenly Father, I don’t want pride to make me fall. I don’t want to be haughty or arrogant. I want to be solid in my own identity because I know that I am perfectly and wonderfully made by You. Please protect me from any attitude that does not allow me to honor You and others with joy. Amen
REFLECT: It’s been said that “Pride must die in you before Heaven can live in you.” What does that mean to you? Is your pride getting in the way of letting God and His ways permeate your life, so that you can reflect Heaven in all you do and say? What area of your life needs more Heaven in it?
ACT: Ask your close friend, brother or sister, spouse, parent, or mentor where they see pride in you. Talk about where that may come from and how to get rid of it. Ask them to join you in tackling this area of pride so that you won’t fall or cause others to fall. Make it your goal to live a life of honor – honoring God and honoring others around you. Then, in humility, you will experience others honoring you!
Day 2
Scripture: Micah 6:8
THE LORD REQUIRES HUMILITY
“Every now and again, Our Lord lets us see what we would be like if it were not for Himself; it is a justification of what He said – “Without Me you can do nothing.” That is why the bedrock of Christianity is personal, passionate devotion to the Lord Jesus.” Oswald Chambers
PRAY: Dear God, thank you for showing me what is good in me. Thank you for also laying out for me what is required of me. Would You help me to learn Your ways so that I can more effectively, and more fully, act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with You? Would You give me that supernatural balance of caring about the well being of other people, staying focused on You, and putting myself second, without judging myself or others? I want to do good, I want to be full of wisdom and mercy and I want to walk humbly with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen and Amen.
REFLECT: How can I understand if my sense of self-esteem is cultural or Biblical? How do I truly know that I am walking humbly or need to learn how to walk humbly, without focusing just on myself? What do I need to do to become more Christ-like so that my identity is solid in the Lord, and not in my own accomplishments, looks, length of my Quiet Times, or based on what other people say about me?
Day 3
Scripture: Proverbs 22:4
THE REWARDS OF HUMILITY
“The point of the death of Christ is that Christ took on the sins of the world, so that what we put out did not come back to us, and that our sinful nature does not reap the obvious death. That’s the point. It should keep us humbled… It’s not our own good works that get us through the gates of Heaven.” Bono
PRAY: Lord, please show me a healthy fear of You, an awe and respect for You that I’ve never experienced before. Show me how much richer my life will be and I will embrace honor in a new way. I want the abundant life and I want to walk humbly with You, so will you teach me to fear you? Oh, how I want to have Your riches, and honor, and Life. Thank you, Jesus, Amen.
REFLECT: What does it mean to “fear the Lord”? Are we really to be afraid? Are you ever afraid of God? “Fear the Lord “actually refers to a specific sense of awe, respect, and submission, like you would give to a military commanding officer, or a film director, or your pastor, because you know they have the power, and the decisions they make can affect you directly. If you truly “fear the Lord” you respect His awesome greatness, and submit to His will, while understanding His love for you. When you do, you will experience a rich life, because you are honoring God and knowing He honors the humble attitude of your heart. And others will honor you, not by what you do, but by who you are, and your fear of the Lord.
ACT: Can you say that you have a “rich” life? If so, think about or list what makes it rich: Is it money, comfort, and adventures, or is it also a deep sense of love and comfort in the Lord, fabulous relationships, and an understanding of living the “abundant life”? If you want more spiritual richness, and a greater understanding of honor, then ask God to make you humble. We can’t make ourselves humble, but God can transform our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Day 4
Scripture: Romans 12:3
DON’T THINK TOO HIGHLY
“Forrest Gump’ was great, it was fabulous. It lasted much longer than anybody thought, and brought me a degree of attention that no human being on the face of the planet deserves.” Tom Hanks
PRAY: Lord, would you reveal to me the difference between false self-esteem and confidence in You, based on sober judgment, and in accordance with my faith? I want to have true humility, but a clear understanding of who I am in You, how valued I am in Your eyes, and that I’m here on this earth to make an eternal difference. Thank you for the grace you have given me and for insight into true, beautiful humility in my heart!
REFLECT: Think about what it means to be humble, versus feeling that we are worms, or we aren’t good enough, compared to other people. Try to define humility through God’s eyes and know that loving ourselves is important because we are made in God’s image. However, thinking we’re better than other people is pride. Ask God for wisdom in this tough area of true identity, confidence, and character.
ACT: Make a list with two columns: On the left list who you think you are, with your strengths, weaknesses, character traits, etc. On the right list who God says you are in His eyes. See the similarities and differences between these two lists, side by side. Do you understand HUMILITY, or do you need to study God’s word more to see clearly who you are in Christ? At the bottom of the lists can you list what you enjoy about yourself? Which of your traits, beliefs or actions do you like? Those are what you thank God for, because He gave them to you and He is enjoying them as well!
Day 5
Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:3
HE HUMBLES US
“God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to teach us lessons we could not learn in any other way. The way we learn those lessons is not to deny the feelings but to find the meanings underlying them.” Stanley Lindquist
PRAY: Pray that the Lord humbles the Hollywood professionals and they will see that they need Him desperately in their lives, that His Word is true and their efforts are meaningless without Him. Then pray they will realize that this place of need is just where He wants us, so that He can work.
REFLECT: Reflect on the artists you know. Artists, and all creative people, have so much going on in their heads that they sometimes forget there is a world of needs and hurt around them. They become narcissists in their thinking and only the Lord can pull them out of themselves and trigger a desire to reach out to others, and to depend on Him.
ACT: When you hear yourself, or anyone else, talking against a Hollywood professional, will you stop and tell yourself, or others, to pray instead for that person, believing only prayer can change their hearts and their lives, and that your prayers matter!
Day 6
Scripture: Proverbs 11:2
WITH HUMILITY COMES WISDOM
“You come of the Lord Adam and the Lady Eve,’ said Aslan. ‘And that is both honour enough to erect the head of the poorest beggar, and shame enough to bow the shoulders of the greatest emperor in earth.’ ” C.S. Lewis
PRAY: Please God, protect me from pride. I know that price will lead to disgrace, and I want to truly be humble so that I will gain wisdom. I need You to change my heart and my mind, to transform me to be more Christ-like, so that You can strip away my pride, and allow me to live a life of grace and wisdom. I so look forward to what You are going to change in me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
REFLECT: Be honest with yourself and look hard into your heart – how are you prideful? Do you get defensive or angry? Do you compare yourself with other people? Do you think you’re unworthy? Do you think you’re better than anyone in your life? Do you judge others? Are you hard on yourself? All of these are signs of Pride. Reflect on how pride is impacting your life.
ACT: Pick one area of pride in your life and ask God to change it. Allow Him to reveal to you what you need to let go of in order to protect you from disgrace, and instead fill you with wisdom. Be willing to acknowledge your weakness, for that’s the first step toward change. And then don’t get discouraged by the time it may take to conquer your pride, for God’s timing is perfect.
Day 7
Scripture: Philippians 2:3-4
VALUE OTHERS ABOVE YOURSELF
“The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us in our daily conduct.” Andrew Murray
PRAY: Lord, would you help me to love others above myself, to honor others for who You created them to be, and to get my selfish ambition out of the way in my mind, body, and soul? I need Your help to get rid of my vain conceit, for I know my identity comes through You, not by my own actions, words, looks, and accomplishments. I need Your help to celebrate others over myself because I know who I am in You, and it’s wonderful!
REFLECT: What do you do that looks like it’s selfless, but it actually is fueled by selfish ambition? We all do that, but we all aren’t honest about it. Can you track any vain conceit in your life? If so, what can you do about it? Take some time for self-reflection and ask God to reveal His truths to you – not out of condemnation, but out of love and the desire to help you learn, grow, and become more humble.
ACT: Choose one person in your life whom you would like to honor. Then do it! Write them a note, compliment them in front of others, celebrate them with others, call them and tell them what they mean to you, or throw them a party! And be sure to pick someone who will not help you, make you look better, or earn you points. Choose someone you care about who will be honored by your words and actions.