TODAY IN THE WORD
Leadership works through servanthood? Humility leads to greatness? Theologian William Barclay understood the paradoxes at the heart of Christian faith: “[T]he way to power lies through the realization of helplessness; the way to victory lies through the admission of defeat; the way to goodness lies through the confession and the acknowledgment of sin . . . the way to independence lies through dependence, the way to freedom lies through surrender . . . the way to bliss which the world can neither give nor take away lies through the recognition of our own need, and the conviction that the need can be met, when we commit to God in perfect trust.”

Do you want strength and wisdom and success? These are “power words”! But to get them in God's kingdom, we must cherish and practice humility. The overall theme of today's reading is the pursuit of wisdom as part of a “web of virtues” combining goodness and holiness (see Jan. 14). These qualities include kindness, honesty, peaceableness, contentment, and integrity (vv. 27-32).

With reference to humility, the key is verse 34: “He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble.” “Mock” implies “laugh at.” Why does God laugh at the proud? Because before Him, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, pride and selfexaltation come off as absurd. That such a finite thing as a human being could imagine itself at the center of the universe is not only false but ludicrous or laughable. Humble people, on the other hand, have a proper sense of themselves in relation to God. They are able to receive, and God delights to give them, His grace and favor. What could be sweeter?

The benefits of this kind of God-seeking and God-honoring lifestyle are many (vv. 21-26). Faith is strengthened. We can walk in sureness and safety, receiving God's blessings. Obedience brings life and makes the life we live an “ornament” or piece of jewelry, that is, beautiful.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
“My son, do not forget my teaching,” says Proverbs 3:1. This prompts the question of how we should teach children about humility, particularly as they are living in a culture that promotes Me-ism and selfishness. Children are individuals, and no single approach will guarantee results for every child. But thinking through suggestions for children in preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school will also help us ponder our own lessons about humility.

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