Monday Reflection – August 03, 2020Humility – A Bi-Product of Wisdom
To the humble he shows favour. Proverbs 3:34

Today’s text is yet another appropriate follow up from the last two weeks. Two weeks ago, the Watchword challenged us to rid ourselves of fool-heartedness and being stubborn. Last week we were invited to recognize the importance of divine wisdom offered to us by the Lord. Such wisdom is revealed in God’s word for the guidance of our lives. Proverbs 3 is really about the wisdom we get from trusting God. Solomon begins this chapter by charging his son to walk rightly with God. This walk involves valuing God’s word and truly trusting him. Verses 5 and 6 contain one of Christians’ favourite text: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” For Solomon, he found that God was worthy to be trusted. We also walk right with God by living a humble, reverent life and by honouring God with our possessions.
As we pursue life and seek wisdom, Solomon advises that we must be prepared to receive the hard lessons of wisdom. Doing so involves receiving correction from God with the right heart by not despising nor detesting the chastening of the Lord. God’s correction is given in love and has wonderful benefits. Solomon challenges us to value wise living before God and our fellow humans and give attention to God’s wisdom. He assures us that there is safety in walking in God’s wisdom. God guides those who honour his wisdom into paths of safety and there is nothing safer than living in the wisdom and will of God.
One of the benefits of a life that loves God’s wisdom is a life of humility for which God gives favour or grace. Pride sets God in opposition to us, but humility invites the grace of God. We need to be humble to receive and appreciate God’s grace, since grace is God’s unmerited favour. There is a sense in which Solomon spoke of wisdom and humility as being closely related. Those who are wise enough to see God as he really is and ourselves as we really are will possess a natural and appropriate humility.
Paul reminds us in today’s New Testament text of Philippians 2:3: “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves.”
Let’s pursue wisdom and learn the benefits of being humility.
Jermaine Gibson