HUMBLE OF HEART

Matthew 23:12

Whoever exalts himself will be humbled; but whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

A samurai came to see a Zen Master one day. The samurai was very famous and he was really very proud of all his conquests. As he enter the Master’s house, and looking at the beauty of the Master and the Grace of the moment, he suddenly felt inferior.

He said to the Master, "Why am I feeling inferior? Just a moment ago everything was okay. As I entered your court suddenly I felt inferior. I have never felt like that before. I have faced death many times, and I have never felt any fear -- why am I now feeling frightened?"

The Master said, "Come outside." And he said, "Look at these trees. This tree is high in the sky and this small one is beside it. They both have existed beside my window for years, and there has never been any problem. The smaller tree has never said to the big tree, 'Why do I feel inferior before you?' This tree is small, and that tree is big -- why have I never heard a whisper of it?"

The samurai said, "Because they can't compare." The Master replied, "Then you need not ask me. You know the answer."

We are nothing as compared to God. And yet, we still think that we are better or even superior than most people that we meet or know. "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." Our job is to humble ourselves. God’s job is to lift us up. We need to see that all that we have is given by God and be humbled by that realization. And we need to be willing to use all that we have been given for the sake of the Gospel.

Almighty Father, I am far too often influenced by what others think of me, pretending to be either richer or smarter or nicer than I really am. Please prevent me from gloating over praise on one hand or be discouraged by criticism on the other. Show me how to be humble of heart, like you.

“Being humble like a little child – happy, carefree with what he has
This is what God desires, that He may exalt you in due time.”

“To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them.”