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Show & Share - Teachings of Jesus Christ - God exalts the humble

Today I learned that God opposes the proud and lifts up the humble.

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18:9-14 (ESV)

As a continuation of our Youth Ministry teaching series, The Teachings of Jesus Christ, we learned about the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector. Jesus Christ used this parable to teach us that God treasures a humble heart – a person who trusts in God and not in themselves. We discussed how God opposes those who are prideful and lifts up those who are humble (James 4:6). We talked about characteristics of pridefulness and of humbleness. Our greatest example of humbleness is our Lord Jesus Christ (Philippians 2:3-11). He emptied and humbled himself to the point of death on a cross, dying for the undeserving sinners and sin of the world. But God raised him from the dead and put him above all rule and authority – now that’s some exalting of the humble!