Weekly challenge to focus on and practice LOVE through lack of pride but humility.

 

Sunday- God’s love toward us through humility

Matthew 11:28-30  ²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Challenge: We worship a God that is humble in heart.  He loves us enough to humble Himself to save us and to show us that true love involves sacrifice.  How great is our God!  He humbles Himself and shows us how to love.  How has God shown you lately that he loves you?  Thank God for His love.

 

 

Monday – Our lack of pride toward God

 

James 4:4-10   ⁴ You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. ⁵ Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? ⁶ But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

 

 

Challenge: James is writing to prideful people toward God.  If they really love God, they will submit to God and come near to Him.  If they humble themselves before the Lord he will lift them up.  Do something today that shows God today you are submitting to Him.  How has he lifted you up?

 

 

 

 

Tuesday- Our lack of pride toward our Family

Ephesians 4:2  Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Challenge: Paul doesn’t tell the Ephesians to be somewhat humble but he tells them to be completely humble.  It doesn’t sound like there is much room for pride.  Write down a task that has no pride in it that you can do for someone in your family.  Show your love by doing it for them.

 

 

Wednesday- Our lack of pride toward our Friends

1 Peter 3:8-9    ⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.

Challenge: Peter points that we are called to be different than the world.  By Jesus’ example and sacrifice we are called to be compassionate, humble and repay evil with blessing.  Write down something that you can humbly do for a friend that shows you are following Jesus’ example of being humble and serving.  Show your love to your friend by putting it into action.

 

Thursday- Our lack of pride toward our Neighbor

Luke 14:7-11  ⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. ¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Challenge: Jesus tells this parable to illustrate that God expects us to be humble in our actions to others.  We have two choices: We can exalt ourselves and God will humble us or we can humble ourselves and God will exalt us.  Show love to your neighbor today by serving them in humility.  What did you do?

 

 

 

 

Friday- Our lack of pride toward our Enemies

Romans 12:15-17  ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.   Do not be conceited. ¹⁷ Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.

Challenge: Paul points out that we are not to be prideful or conceited toward others and we are not to repay anyone evil for evil.  Our love for God demands that we are to be an example of right behavior to the world even when wronged.  Do you struggle with practicing this aspect of love?  I do.  My sense of right and wrong and my stubborn pride get in the way of loving someone when I have been wronged.  Think of someone you have difficulty loving that has wronged you.  Write down how God would want you to behave around this person and something you can do for them in humble service.  Pray that God will give you the strength to have the right attitude and response if you are rejected or wronged in this service.  How did it go?

 

 

 

 

Saturday- Our lack of pride toward the Lost

2 Corinthians 12:20-21  ²⁰ For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. ²¹ I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

Challenge: Does God humble you, and are you grieved over the sins of those around you?  Paul stood up for right behavior but he balances that with the humble love for those living in sin.  List something you can do to serve those around you that do not know the love of Jesus.  Do something for one person today.