Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Tuesday, April 24, 2001
My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.
There is a characteristic of wealthy, prominent people that can be dangerous spiritually. Such
people tend to see themselves as independent, self-sufficient, self-made. It is rare to find a person
of great means who is also a person of humility. Add to this the fact that Paul was writing to
persons who were enlightened Christians living in a sea of paganism, and you can see a doubly
dangerous dose of potential pride. These were not only people who were well-off financially, but
they were also on a different spiritual plane than their neighbors. And Paul was concerned that
this kind of pride would be destructive to these new Christians' relationships with their neighbors
and with God. So he writes to them: "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast."
God has blessed us. May we respond with humility.
(Psalm 34:2
NRSV)
Paul was writing to Christians at Ephesus. Ephesus was a prosperous city on a major trading
route. It was the local capital city with many wealthy and prominent people. It was also a major
tourist city, and the center of worship of the goddess, Diana. In short, it was a prominent city
with more than its share of affluent citizens.
God of peace, humble my heart before you and my neighbors. Amen.
 Click here to Vote for this site! |
 Click here to Subscribe! |
|---|