Grace for The Humble

Grace for the Humble || James 4:6–10 || Angelle Sullivan

6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”[a] 7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9 Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Being around toddlers is truly a gift. Their journey of discovery, intertwined with a sense of independence, is nothing short of captivating. It’s common to witness them throwing tantrums when someone tries to assist with a task they are determined to master. They often want to walk on their own, even if it means stumbling with every step. Their babbling serves as a confident form of communication, blissfully unaware that those around them may not understand.

As a parent, this stage can be both joyous and concerning. You must train yourself to step back and observe as these little ones explore the world. Resist the urge to hold their hand as they wobble or to show them an easier way to accomplish a task. Endure their endless babbling as they express themselves freely.

This leads me to reflect on how, in moments of pride, we too can revert to toddler-like behavior. Pride leads us to believe we can navigate life alone, making simple tasks more challenging because we refuse help, while our conversations become shallow as others tune us out.

In James 4:6-10, it speaks of God giving grace to the humble but opposing the proud. What I appreciate about this scripture is that it doesn’t leave us stranded when it comes to overcoming pride; it provides actionable steps. Verses seven through ten each begin with verbs, indicating action: *submit, resist, wash, grieve, change, * and *humble. * These verses suggest that God’s love is so profound that He allows us to engage in the work required for a relationship with Him.

We must remember that God loves us enough not to force us into choosing Him. Just as a parent patiently watches their toddler navigate their discovery phase, staying close yet remaining silent, so does God watch us struggle through our prideful phases. My challenge to you and myself is this: will we remain in our toddler-like state, or will we choose to grow by taking steps to *submit, resist, wash, grieve, change, * and *humble* ourselves?

Remember, God’s grace is reserved for the humble!

Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father! THANK YOU!