“I tell you, this man went to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18:14
In the Bible, there are warnings about what not to do, and there are encouragements of what to do. This passage has both. First, it warns us not to exalt ourselves. What does it mean to exalt ourselves? In the overall context of this parable in Luke, to exalt ourselves means that we place our trust in ourselves which leads to an inaccurate view of others. We look down upon others. We consider them as lacking of worth or value because we are so focused on ourselves. On the contrary, this passage encourages us to humble ourselves. This is done by trusting in God which leads to an accurate view of self. It leads us to the understanding that but for God’s grace in our lives, we would run headlong into every form of wickedness. It’s this posture of humility before Him that God promises to exalt.
How might this warning and encouragement play into your life today?
