One minute read.
Daily Reading: Zechariah 9:1-17, Revelation 17:1-18, Psalm 145:1-21, Proverbs 30:32
Daily Verse: “If you have been foolish, exalting yourself, or if you have been devising evil, put your hand on your mouth.” Prov. 30:32
Control output.
“Not to brag about myself, but…” Watching a golf clinic on YouTube, the coach began with those words, followed by a list of his accomplishments over the past fifty years of his career. Without a doubt, he possessed the knowledge to respect his teaching. Giving credentials to support your authority differs from exalting yourself.
When I broke a 100 for the first time in my golf score, I exalted myself, telling anyone who would listen. However, it took a while for me to repeat the feat; stroke play humbles any golfer.
Exalting myself foolishly over a game taught me a lesson in humility. Each time I play a round, it tests my integrity. Keeping accurate scores takes brutal honesty and develops character. Foolishly exalting myself only leads to more humbling.
Better your hand on your mouth than foolish exalting. With every mountain comes a valley. My mother always said, “If you are worthy of praise, let someone else do it; don’t do it yourself.”
Lord, forgive us for foolishly exalting ourselves. Please teach us humility with a gentle hand as we follow You. Keep us hungry for Your word and humble for Your teachings. Let us become more like Christ every day. IJNIP. Amen
