Words of Grace

By Rev. Mahlon Nevel

Jesus said, in Luke 14:11, that whoever exalts himself shall be abased and he that humbles himself shall be exalted. He repeated this truth in Luke 18:14, saying that everyone who exalts himself shall be abased, and he that humbles himself shall be exalted.

This is the lesson we need to learn. Jesus not only taught this truth, but lived it. Philippians 2:8, 9 tells us that he humbled himself to become a man in order to die for us. As a result, God highly exalted him, and gave to him a name that is above every other name. He lived what he taught.

The Apostle Paul had to learn this lesson. Because he had been given an abundance of revelations from God, he could have been lifted up with pride. He wrote, in Second Corinthians 12:7, “And lest I should be exalted above measure . . . there was given to me a thorn in the flesh . . . lest I should be exalted above measure.”

Whatever the thorn in the flesh was, he never said. But he prayed three times God would take it away. Instead of taking it away, the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (v. 9).

God’s grace is God’s strength. He wants us to take pride in our weakness so that the power of Christ can rest upon us. He wants us to know that when we are weak, then we are made strong in God’s grace, as verse 10 says.
God gives “more grace” to those who ask, according to James 4:6. He resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. If we humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, then he will lift us up. (James 4:10)

Yes, the way up is down. When we bow down before the Lord in our weakness, we are lifted up by God’s power. “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (First Peter 5:6).