Topic > Spiritual Growth > Fruit of the Spirit > Humility >
A dramatic encounter between Gabriel and Mary
Imagine that day, when out of the blue, a young girl in a small town in Israel is visited by none other than the angel Gabriel, and he proclaims to her: “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son . . . and He will be called Son of the Most High.” What can we learn from Mary’s response?
A balanced perspective of Mary, the mother of Jesus
When it comes to Mary, mother of Jesus, people often react to her in extremes. One group downplays her significance, and another group exalts her in a way that Scripture does not necessarily support. Let’s honor this woman of God and learn some lessons Mary has to teach us in this new series.
My Way
Two small boys were playing a complicated game with sticks and string. After a few minutes the older boy turned to his friend and said crossly, “You’re not doing it properly. This is my game, and we play it my way. You can’t play anymore!” The desire to have things our own way starts young!
Naaman was a person who was accustomed to having things his way. He was commander of the army of the king of Syria. But Naaman also had an incurable disease. One day his wife’s servant girl, who had been captured from the land of Israel, suggested…
A Letter To My Future Self
Dear Future Self, Hey! Hello there! Howdy doo! Yes, I need to remind you that you are still weird—that’s my obligation as your past. You are welcome.
3 Ways to Reconcile Our Differences
Elton John was right in his song, “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word”. It is always hard to say “sorry” in an argument.
When Your Sin Comes to Light
Mixed feelings. Apprehension. Guilt. Shame. Regret. If any of those popped to mind, know that you’re not alone. Like it or not, each one of us have our fair share of bright and dark patches. For the latter, we probably wish we could erase or hide those parts away permanently. The good news for most of us is that we’d probably never have to worry about others knowing about those parts as long as we hide them well enough, or the law doesn’t ever find us out.
Deceptive Currents
In his book The Hidden Brain, science writer Shankar Vedantam describes the day he went for a leisurely swim. The water was calm and clear, and he felt strong and proud for covering a long distance so easily. He decided to swim out of the bay and into open water. But when he tried to return he couldn’t make any progress. He had been deceived by the current. The ease of swimming had not been due to his strength but to the movement of the water.
In our relationship with God something similar can happen. “Going with the flow” can…
Listening With Love
One August evening in Vermont, a young missionary spoke at our small church. The country where he and his wife served was in religious turmoil, and it was considered too dangerous for children. In one of his stories, he told us about a heart-wrenching episode when his daughter pleaded with him not to leave her behind at a boarding school.
One Who Serves
I’m nobody’s servant!” I cried out. That morning the demands of my family seemed too much as I frantically helped to find my husband’s blue tie, while feeding the crying baby and recovering the lost toy from under the bed for our 2-year-old.
Now Go!
More than 10,000 evangelists and Christian leaders sat in a giant auditorium in Amsterdam in 1986 listening to world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham. I sat among them, listening as he narrated some of his experiences. Then, to my surprise, he said, “Let me tell you: every time I stand before the congregation of God’s people to preach, I tremble and my knees wobble!”
What the Selfie Reveals About Us
Written by Karen Kwek, Singapore Here I am in Peru—see the Machu Picchu ruins in the background? This is me again, rocking it at a concert. And here I am, about to tuck into a huge roasted pork knuckle. And here, fresh out of the salon chair—check out my new haircut! To be sure, self-portraits […]
Who Are You?
From time to time, we read of people who are offended at not being treated with what they consider due respect and deference. “Do you know who I am?” they shout indignantly. And we are reminded of the statement, “If you have to tell people who you are, you probably really aren’t who you think you are.” The polar opposite of this arrogance and self-importance is seen in Jesus, even as His life on earth was nearing its end.
Truth with Love
Find out how you can tell others about Jesus, be knowledgeable and respectful of differences, and stand firm in your own beliefs.
How to live for an audience and approval of One
Though we may deny it at times, most of us care what people think of us. Our self-image is often wrapped up in the opinions of others! It’s a lesson learned from a Roman centurion.
A Picture Of Humility
During the Easter season, my wife and I attended a church service where the participants sought to model the events that Jesus and His disciples experienced on the night before He was crucified. As part of the service, the church staff members washed the feet of some of the church volunteers. As I watched, I wondered which was more humbling in our day—to wash another person’s feet or to have someone else wash yours. Both those who were serving and those being served were presenting distinct pictures of humility.
