God Regards the Lowly

"Though the LORD is on high, yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar."

Psalm 138:6

God is exalted and on high, greater than all others.  The affluent, famous, and powerful among men fraternise with others like them, but the Creator of all things condescends to hear the lowly.  No amount of riches can compensate for or afford His blessings, but Jesus gladly acknowledged the widow who freely gave two copper coins which amounted to a penny because she gave all (Mark 12:41).  The Most High draws near to the humble soul He regards, but keeps the proud at a distance.

It is entirely possible to have great wealth with humility as Jesus Himself showed:  all things are created by Him and for Him, yet He gave all to put on human flesh with humility.  Since He has all authority in heaven and earth Jesus could have come as a king in glory attended by the host of heaven shouting His praise.  Jesus was instead born of a virgin, wrapped with strips of cloth, and laid in a feeding trough because there was no room for him in the inn.  He was viewed with disdain and suspicion as a child conceived out of wedlock, and when Jesus was grown even His own brothers did not believe He was the Son of God.  Even when He was crucified Jesus prayed concerning His enemies, "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do."  What grace!

Jesus told an insightful parable in Luke 18:9-14:  "Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: ¹⁰ "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' ¹³ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' ¹⁴ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

In the Jewish culture the Pharisee would have been regarded by men for his praying, his clothing and tefillin, tassels, tithing and fasting, yet he only prayed "with himself."  A tax collector, despised and maligned by his fellows, went home justified with a short, unorthodox prayer because he humbly begged for mercy.  He humbled himself before God and would be regarded and exalted by God, yet the proud Pharisee who trusted in his own righteousness by the Law despised the man who actually found favour with God.  Thanking God did not eliminate the Pharisee's pride but put it on display as he foolishly imagined himself worthy of God's notice and favour.  The question is, are we willing to humble ourselves?  The rich and poor alike can do this if we will acknowledge God's greatness and our unworthiness.

Man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart.  The proud man does not see his need for God while the humble realises all he has is a gift from God.  Genuine humility is like God's wisdom:  God is the only source of both.  Without God we could never humble ourselves and see self in truth as constantly and completely corrupted by pride.  Pride is endemic to the human race:  a rich man may feel superior because of possessions or station in life, and person in poverty is too proud to admit they need help.  The day we imagine we have pride quashed it pops up again like a mechanical "Whack-a-mole" game--and trying to win by brute strength or speed is impossible.  The amazing truth is the proudest, most hardened sinners can humble themselves by the grace of God and He is faithful to draw near.  He has not dealt with us according to our sins but with the grace and humility demonstrated by Jesus Christ as He walked among us.