Matthew 23:11-12 The greatest among you will be your servant. All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted.
Speaking to his followers, Jesus acknowledges the value of what the scribes and Pharisees teach—but not the example that they set. Quite simply, they don’t practice what they preach; they lack integrity.
Having spent years interviewing survivors of the Holocaust, historian Timothy Snyder found that, “People who bragged about rescuing Jews had generally not done so; they were, in fact, more likely to be anti-Semites and racists. Rescuers almost never boast.”
I believe the same can be said of anyone who does deeds of kindness or courage. The truly wise and merciful don’t take action to earn praise or to chalk up another item for their resume. They act because it is good and right and honorable.
“Until we have been tested,” Snyder wrote, “there is no sense in boasting of our goodness; afterward, there is no need.”
MOVING FORWARD: Who is the most humble person you know? Write the person a note of thanks for the example of grace.
SOULSPEAKJULY-16.jpg