Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today, the Holy Spirit filled my mind with thoughts about being humbly mindful of God and others.

Today’s scripture, Psalms 8:3-4 (NIV) testifies…
[3] When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, [4] what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?

Consider…
I love meditating on this passage whenever I am on a flight, especially when we are just below the clouds and the everything below looks like a board game; or when we’re above the clouds and they look like tasty marshmallows. Indeed, being high in the air makes me mindful of the greatness of God!

But what I think about most, while riding high in the sky, is the humbling fact that the Creator of everything is mindful of little speck of dust, me.

As I reflected on that truth, the Holy Spirit led me to Isaiah 57:15 (NIV), which declares…For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.

Reading that immediately ran my mind to James 4:6 (NLT), which declares…And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

I have read or cited the verse many times, but it just occurred to me that God gives grace to the humble. This means God’s grace is reserved for those who think of themselves less.

Like Jesus said in Matthew 23:12 (NIV)…For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Reading that just made me realize, God always balances our opinion of ourselves with our proximity to Him. That just made me realize, God’s hand lifts and pushes. I don’t know about you, but I would rather be lifted up than pushed down by God.

As I am writing this, the Holy Spirit is emphasizing Humility is a big deal to God. He showed me three quick verses to illustrate this:

Micah 6:8 (NLT)…
[8] No, O people, the Lord has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.

Matthew 5:3 (NIV)…“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

1 Peter 5:6 (NLT)…
[6] So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.

This shows us that God pushes the proud down and lifts the humble up.

As I wrote that, the Holy Spirit just whispered, humility is the key to God’s lifting hand, and password to His raising grace.

Two of my best friends love 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT), which says…Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.

Today, the Holy Spirit highlighted the fact that the first thing God required of His people rebellious people was humility!

Indeed humility is a big deal to God!

As a matter of fact, God tells us to have the same humility mindset as Jesus.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV) instructs…
[5] In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; [7] rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. [8] And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Notice, the passage says our humility mindset must be towards others. It’s not thinking less of ourselves, it’s about thinking of ourselves less. I like to label it living a JOY filled life!

• Jesus first
• Others second
• Yourself last

The Holy Spirit just reinforced my understanding by citing Matthew 22:37-40 (NIV), which says…
[37] Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [38] This is the first and greatest commandment. [39] And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [40] All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Notice the two fulcrum commandments tell us to love God, and love others. That’s countercultural to we must love ourselves first. As a matter of fact, I don’t know of any scripture that talks about God loving Himself. The closest I can get is Jesus loving the Father and vice versa in John 15, but you don’t read about the worldview of self-centered love. Indeed that’s because love thinks of itself less and others more.

In case you need more proof, let’s read one of the most famous verses in the Bible again. John 3:16 (NIV)…For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Notice love was expressed by giving who was valued most.

I remember my eldest daughter Erin connecting God’s love dots for me years ago, by sharing the companion scripture to John 3:16, which is 1 John 3:16 (NIV)…This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

You see, love focuses on helping others.

This brings me to our title, humble mindfulness. Remember that Christ-like humility mindset we referenced from Philippians 2? Well, if we back up a couple verses we read in Philippians 2:3-4 (NLT)…
[3] Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.

Paul wrote this to Christians. He’s telling us who want to be like Christ to consider others more than we consider ourselves.

As a matter of fact, one of my favorite verses is actually a precursor to our self-awareness and interconnection with others. Romans 12:2-5, 9-10 (NLT) says…
[2] Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. [3] Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us. [4] Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, [5] so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.
[9] Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. [10] Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Again, we see our Christ-like mindset begins with humility, recognizing God’s love and grace to us, and sincerely extending it to others.

The Holy Spirit further reiterated this other focus with 1 Corinthians 10:24 (NIV), which tells us…No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.

Admittedly, I could go on and on with examples this humble mindfulness expectation from God, but the Holy Spirit is telling me to end with Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT), which concludes…
[12] Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. [13] Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. [14] Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

The Holy Spirit showed me, it’s in our humility toward others that we prove our humbleness to God. That means…

• Don’t focus on being right, but on making things right for others…2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)…For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.
• Don’t focus on leading, but rather serving…Mark 10:43-45 (NLT)…[43] But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, [44] and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. [45] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
• Don’t focus on settling the score, but rather opening a door…Matthew 5:43-45 (NLT)…[43] “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. [44] But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! [45] In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.

…the Holy
Spirit is emphasizing, thinking about ourselves less and others more is the humble mindfulness that God wants us to live with. Indeed, we need to live a life of JOY…

• Jesus first
• Others next
• Yourself last

The Holy Spirit says the humble mindfulness God desires, and requires, is real simple, humbly love God and love people.

Today’s song is…
Love God, Love People

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)