Rank
In the military each member has a rank. It is based on a lot of criteria, including merit and experience. When a youngster first graduates boot camp, I think they are simply a private. They can move through the ranks over the years and become a general – one of the highest ranks.
In our culture, people are often ranked by their economic status, longevity, or experience. Some of the sharpest people I know are unimpressed with themselves. On the flip side, I’ve met people who were impressed with themselves, and they weren’t much help to others. I once hear a statement about prideful people – “If you buy them for what they are worth and sell them for what they think they are worth, you could retire comfortably.”
Jesus spoke about His idea of importance and rank, and it flipped our idea on its head. Check this out….
30 And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.” (Luke 13:30 NLT)
I think it’s important to live with a humility that comes from a place of surrender to the Lord. I’m absolutely NOTHING without Him. I want to be mindful of where I rank in the Lord’s hierarchy.
A couple of good verses that relate to this…..
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.(Philippians 2:3 NLT)
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. (Ephesians 4:2 NLT)
And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6 NLT)
Humility is a relative term. If I declare myself as humble, then I’m likely not humble. I’m trying to get “rank” from my humility. God does the ranking in His Kingdom, and it’s based on genuine humility. Pride will get me a demotion pretty quick.
Pressing On!
Dwayne