“Exalting ourselves is destructive because we’re trying to do what only God an do.”- Banning Liebscher
“Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time.”- 1 Peter 5:5-6 (NKJV)
Banning Liebscher concludes Chapter 10 of Rooted as he contrasts our job with God’s job. First, Pastor Liebscher notes that serving humbly positions us for what the Bible calls “being exalted.” In addition, Banning defines exalted as “receiving honor and promotion (the fourth reward of serving) to greater levels of authority, responsibility, and influence.”
Furthermore, the author underscores, the Bible clearly informs us that it’s God’s job to exalt. Pastor Liebscher explains:
“Our job is to humble ourselves, to take the low road. God’s job is to exalt us, to expand our position of visibility and influence; and it’s a job He wants to do. He tells us we are the light of the world and He wants to add grace to our lives so we can shine brightly. He tells us how to do our job so He can do His.”
Most noteworthy, Banning observes that your serving must go beyond random acts of generosity and humilty. You need to faithfully steward what belongs to someone else. This, in turn, positions us to handle the responsibility of sharing Jesus’ power and authority.
In conclusion, Pastor Liebscher underscores that God’s calling on our lives extends beyond this life into eternity. With that thought in mind, any worldly measures of success and happiness fade into nothing. The author summaries:
“The soil of serving is one of the richest places to grow your roots. It is there they can grow deep and wide and can get the nutrients they need to bear lasting, impactful fruit.”
Today’s question: What Scriptures help you minimize the destructive effect of exalting yourself? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: the new Short Meditation, “Building the wall in front of you”
