Blessed Are the Humble

I had just completed several frustrating trips around the hospital car park looking for a space when I saw a man heading for his car.

I positioned myself to move into his space, which I, of course, considered mine. Suddenly a young woman quickly and expertly manoeuvred her car around several parked cars and into the space I was waiting for.

The woman hastily got out of her car, flashed me a smile and moved off rapidly toward the hospital. I don’t know what she meant to communicate with her smile, but I gave it a very negative interpretation as I sat there feeling annoyed.

Later, in my quiet time with the Lord, I realised my reaction should have been much kinder.

Perhaps the woman was in the midst of a life-threatening emergency, and her smile was an appeal for me to understand or to forgive her. Whatever the situation, I realised I needed to respond in a way that was pleasing to the Lord.

Jesus, with infinite wisdom, gave us the guidelines and directions in the Beatitudes that would help us to live humbly and be more like him. And in 1 Peter 5:5 we read, ‘All of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”.’

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to live humbly and to be your witnesses in all circumstances. Amen