Humble Yourself

I went to Walmart this morning, I had to get some socks. I put on my clown outfit minus the make up and I could not find my socks. So I had to buy some new ones. They were teal colored with a great big star on the calf. I found them in the women's section. They're hot!

So I went home put on my pants made from three 100 lb. rice bags, my sunflower shirt, my rainbow Mork suspenders and headed to a preschool. It is humbling when you drive through a Burger King to grab a quick lunch before you perform in "the outfit."

But when you walk in that room--the kids love you! I remember doing the clown stuff in Brooklyn, NY. I was a star. Hundreds of kids crowded around me calling out my name-- "Bubbles! Bubbles! Bubbles!" Alright the name does not quite ring with stardom.

Fame leads to power and power leads to pride. Look at some of the Hollywood elite. They become famous and all of a sudden they think the have power to influence the culture. Then there are politicians. Their power has created a "we know better than you" attitude. Look at some of the religious leaders of our culture. They get crowds of people who come to listen to them and all of a sudden they become wrapped up in their own success.

As I was driving to get my socks, I was listening to Glen Beck. I hardly ever listen to him because success often leads to pride. He said something that might make me start listening though. If he really believes it, we all need to start listening to him.

He was talking about the state of our government with all this stimulus package stuff. Their is an arrogance in our government that is frightening. Pride has moved in and it has deep roots.

He said, "We should not pray that God humbles us (as a country). We need to humble ourselves."

Think about that for a moment. Do you really want God to humble you as a person, country or a church? How about a Pop culture star, politician or preacher, do you want God to humble you? I don't. That would scare the crap out of me!

When God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, he turned him in to a beast of the field who ate grass for seven years. I want no part of God bringing the conditions on me that force me to become humble. When God does the humbling life gets hard and it is usually for an extended time.

The Bible teaches that the responsibility to be humble is ours. "Humble yourselves before the Lord and he will lift you up" (James 4:10).

We have the responsibility to humble ourselves before God. The Hollywood elite need to realize it is God who gave them their talent. The politician needs to realize it was nothing they did to get elected, the Bible teaches that God has placed them in that position. It is not the preacher who has brought the success to the church, it is God who adds to the number daily those being saved.

God gives us a chance to humble ourselves, before he does the humbling. So ask yourself this question. Would you rather humble yourself or let God humble you?