Good morning!   In our culture, as in most cultures, humility is a sign of weakness.  Being humble is the equivalent of milquetoast, ho-hum.  If you were to pick a cartoon character, we would likely think of Eeyore.  But that’s not the case in God’s economy.  Humility and meekness are strengths.  The opposite of humility is pride—pride is destructive because of its reliance on self to find answers and solve problems.  Pride is the source of all idolatry—for pride sets up one’s own self as god.  You are the center of the universe—the world admires this, until you get in the way of someone else’s universe. 

Yet, our life is fragile.  We do all we can to avoid this simple principle of life, but it’s true.  No matter how well we eat, no matter how much we exercise, no matter how many vitamins or pills we take, we find out in a hurry that life is fragile.

We are fragile physically.  Everytime we watch a football game, we see that these specimens flying at each other on the field can do some damage.  No one is immune!  Not a quarter goes by where someone isn’t limping, isn’t having their ‘bell rung,’ or any other physical issue.  The mildest car accident can cause an injury to the neck or back that can linger for years.  Some are struggling with physical illnesses.  We don’t need any reminders of the fragility of our physical bodies.

We can be fragile emotionally.  We hear men and women who return from combat with post traumatic stress disorder who struggle to adapt to civilian life.  We hear of teenagers who take their lives because their parents divorced or their boyfriend or girlfriend broke up with them.  We hear of those who fall into addictions to escape either their situations or themselves (either sexual or substance addictions). 

We can be fragile spiritually.  Every one of us is looking for meaning and purpose in life.  This is a spiritual issue.  Everyone of us at one point has asked themselves, “Why am I here?  Where do I belong?  Where is life taking me?”  This brings an understanding of how finite our lives are, but also can be beneficial!   We realize that this is not all there is, but we also begin to see where the true treasure lies—and that treasure does not come from us.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7-12, we read:

⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.⁸ We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;⁹ persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;¹⁰ always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.¹¹ For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.¹² So death is at work in us, but life in you.

The Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 4:7-12

Recognizing our humility due to Christ’s strength is of great strength to us!