Humility - The One Year Devotions for Moms

Humility

Mary responded [to Elizabeth], “Oh, how I praise the Lord. How I rejoice in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and now generation after generation will call me blessed. For he, the Mighty One, is holy, and he has done great things for me. His mercy goes on from generation to generation, to all who fear him. His mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly. He has satisfied the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. And how he has helped his servant Israel! He has not forgotten his promise to be merciful. For he promised our ancestors—Abraham and his children—to be merciful to them forever.”

Luke 1:46-55

Humility jumps from the page as we read what Mary said (or sang) to her cousin Elizabeth, reflecting on God’s promise to make her the mother of the Messiah. What a beautiful snapshot of a humble heart. Notice some of the ingredients of humility included in her song:

  1. Humility involves moving the focus off ourselves. Mary didn’t praise herself—she praised God. She spoke of him as her Savior and Lord and acknowledged that he was mighty, holy, and merciful.
  2. Humility doesn’t mean insecurity. Mary acknowledged God’s power and love, which she had felt in her own life.
  3. Humility shows us where we fit in the big picture. Mary understood that she was part of a much bigger plan than just her days on earth. She knew she was involved in a design that God had for the world. It’s easy for us to get caught up in our own agenda and forget that we are here to serve.
  4. Humility springs from our innermost being. Mary saw that things are not always as they appear. What’s important to God is not the position we hold before our peers, but rather the state of our inmost thoughts about God. That’s where humility begins.

Father,

Thank you for the beautiful song that Mary sang in praise to you. May we learn from her example of humility and be an example to our children of a mom who praises you out of an overflowing heart. Amen.

From the Book: