Humility is defined as “the quality or state of not thinking you are better than other people.” (i)

Pride is defined as “a feeling that you are more important or better than other people.” (ii)

When we think about the kinds of behaviors/attitudes that are manifestations of pride, they would include conflict, hatred, arguments, disagreement, apathy, judgment, criticism, sin, gossip, unbelief…. Have I struck any chords yet? These (and many others) manifest pride because in each instance the underlying belief is “I know best.”

So often people make the mistake of thinking that the opposite of pride is “low self-esteem”.(iii) But in truth, the opposite of humility is pride. I recently asked the students in my class what the difference was between “low self-esteem” and humility. Those that answered said they were the same thing. When I challenged them to consider that humility and low self-esteem are actually opposites, they were taken aback, as are most people when are when I share this truth.

When a person feels poorly about themselves they typically are quite offended when they are told that their heart issue is pride. To them it is like a slap in the face. Their personal defenses go up to protect “self”. I love the way Beth Moore says it, I have quoted her many times. “Pride is not the opposite of low self-esteem. Pride is the opposite of humility. We can have a serious pride problem that masquerades as slow self-esteem. Pride is self-absorption whether we’re absorbed with how miserable we are or how wonderful we are.” (iv)

Praise God that Jesus died for our pride too. May that alone humble us.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up. James 4:10

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:3

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

i http://www.merriam-webster.com
ii http://www.merriam-webster.com
iii I enclose that in quotes because self-esteem is not a Biblical concept but it is a universally accepted term in our culture to describe a person that has a bad view of self.
iv “Praying God’s Word” by Beth Moore

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Philippians 2:3

Boy, this is a tough one isn’t it? Esteem others better than ourselves. At first flush we may think, I have no problem with that. I know others are better than me. They are smarter than me, prettier than me, thinner than me, faster than me, younger than me, have a nicer house, a better husband, more money, a nicer car, a better job… and the list goes on and on.

But…

When I argue with someone, I am not esteeming them as better than myself. I actually believe, in that moment, that I know better than they do.

When I complain, I believe, in that moment that my way is better.

When I criticize, I am setting myself up as judge believing, in that moment, that their way is not as good as my way.

When I gossip, I am making a statement that that person chose a wrong way and that my opinion is right.

When I have to “make my point” I believe that my opinion matters and that my way is better.

When I interrupt, I believe in that moment that what I have to say is more important that what you have to say.

Do you see the subtle ways our high opinion of self flies in the face of “esteeming others better than ourselves?”

Oh, Lord, grant that we can see how YOU see pride in our hearts. Teach us, show us how with lowliness of mind, we can esteem others as better than ourselves. Lord, may we have genuine humility that You manifest through us.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

A good man out of the goodness of treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. —Luke 6:45

A few months ago, my husband came to me with a small tweak in vocabulary that would totally transform the way we look at life. While it was profound at the time, it’s taken me almost 6 months to realize the true power behind what he was saying.

On my way to work today, I finally had the epiphany of how truly powerful such a shift in vocabulary can be.

The phrase was, “I GET TO _______________.” Fill in the blank with your task of choice. He’s been really intentional about using this phrase instead of the opposite, “I have to…” The former expresses gratefulness and contentment, while the latter expresses discontent and, on some level, even contempt.

I get to…

…do the dishes. (Because we have clean running water!)

…go to church. (Because we have the protected liberty of expression and movement in my body.)

…come home to my spouse and children. (Because I have people who love and care for me.)

…go to work. (Because I have a paying job that helps provide for my loved ones.)

…pay my bills! (Because God has provided.)

Speaking of the mundane activities in our everyday lives with a positive and joyful outlook brings glory to God. Think of how often we are not the greatest testimonies of His handiwork, and yet He definitively says we are fearfully and wonderfully made!

The lost often times have enough drudgery to contend with. So why should anyone else aspire to have what we have with Christ, if we don’t continuously find joy in our daily activities?

So the next time you’re scheduled for a root canal or tooth filling, remember, “I GET TO visit a dentist. Because there are folks in other countries without access to appropriate healthcare.”

Praise be to God!
Diera Shaw Mendez

Diera Shaw-Mendez is a minister and youth leader at New Beginnings Worship Center, Pennsauken, NJ, and works full-time for an educational nonprofit in Philadelphia. She is wife to Chaplain Juan Mendez and mama to Olivia Joy. She spends her “spare time” running an online invitation design shop on Etsy and write occasionally for her personal blog, With Style, By Grace. Diera is a God-fearing, Starbucks loving, tech junkie (…in that order!) who simply wants to inspire women to invest in THE beauty that never fades!

Recently as I was reading Matthew’s gospel I noticed Jesus’ words of encouragement and admonishment about the faith of His hearers. I found this interesting and thought I would share with you.

Jesus spoke of no faith.

But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” Mark 4:40

Jesus spoke of little faith.

But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. Matthew 8:26

And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:31

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:30; Luke 12:28

But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?” Matthew 16:8

And Jesus spoke of great faith.

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” Matthew 8:10, Luke 7:9

Then Jesus answered and said to her, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed from that very hour. Matthew 15:28

Most of these are excerpts from familiar passages. Let’s consider to whom Jesus was speaking each time.

When Jesus said they had NO faith – Jesus was speaking to His disciples.

When Jesus said they had LITTLE faith he was speaking to His disciples in all four illustrations.

When Jesus said they had GREAT faith they were not Jews. He was speaking to a centurion and a woman with a demon-possessed daughter. Both of these individuals took action that showed faith.

I found it interesting that His own disciples were feeble in their faith while others, He said, showed GREAT faith.

May we be women of GREAT faith.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Eph 5:1

One way children learn is through imitation. Who has not smiled at a baby and had that baby smile back. We can make total fools of ourselves trying to get babies to imitate us 500 times. Children imitate their parents. You can picture a little girl cuddling her baby doll or a little boy walking behind a toy lawnmower behind his dad (or mom). (I know those are stereotypic examples.)

We are called to be God-imitators. Just what does that look like?

It looks like Jesus.

“…whoever has seen me has seen the Father…Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?…” John 14:9-10; “I and the Father are one.” John 10:3; “…put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 13:14

The Father sent Jesus, the Son, as an exact representation of Himself. “For in him (Jesus) the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily.” Colossians 2:9 (parenthesis mine). Jesus is literally God with skin on. How do we imitate God, whom we have never physically seen? We imitate Jesus who we have “seen” through the Scripture and Who lives in us.

Do you know Jesus well enough that you can imitate Him, not just when it’s easy but when it’s difficult too? If not, you have some work to do in studying and learning about the character of Jesus from the Bible. I think all of us would benefit from looking closely at the Gospels to glean truth about the character of Jesus and then imitating Him.

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and build up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6

I know I have a lot of room for growth. How about you?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

I always told my husband that I would love to go on an African Safari. He would just look at me, laugh and ask me where I thought my hair dryer would plug in. I would retaliate that I really could live without my hair dryer. Then it happened…. I was getting ready for work and all I had to do was dry my hair…when….the power went off! I scrambled to figure out who had power and where I could go quickly to get my hair dry and get to work! Maybe I wouldn’t survive a trip into the wilds of Africa after all?
I have pretty quick reflexes when the power goes out in my house. How can I get my hair done? Will the meat in the freezer survive if the power is out too long? But what about when I know I have come unplugged and my connection to the power of the Holy Spirit is no longer in service? While I notice right away that my dryer won’t work, or that the lights suddenly were off, it usually takes longer for me to realize I am unplugged from the source of my strength. And when I do realize it, do I run as frantically to get plugged in? Do I grab my Bible or stop and pray? Do I long to be reconnected as much as I long to have my hair done?

Clearly, the thought for you and I today is to recognize if we are plugged in or not. If your answer is no then take the time and do what you know you need to do. Reevaluate where you think you are going without a source of power. You and I won’t get far without power. Plus, staying plugged in keeps us right where we need to be.

“Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.”
Ephesians 4:30 (MSG)

Blessings,
Kathy

Kathy Withers is on staff at America’s Keswick and serves in Partner Care. Kathy has been married to her husband Dave for 30 years. They have two adult children. Kathy is active in her local Church and teaches a Bible Study for women. Her passion is to encourage women to deepen their walk with Jesus Christ by finding and living out the truths of God’s Word.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.” Matthew 5:11

Rejoice and be glad?

Surely not what His disciples expected to hear. It sounds so contrary to human nature. Being reviled by others, persecuted for our faith, spoken ill of and lied about on account of our love for Jesus Christ – rejoice and be glad? Not likely our first response, or second, third or fourth. I suspect it would take several responses before we get to rejoice and be glad.

Why is Jesus encouraging such a response?

“…for your reward is great in heaven.” Jesus takes our focus off the immediate, the pain and suffering that comes with persecution, and casts a long view vision, reward in heaven.

“But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High.” Luke 6:35

Again… Love your enemies? Not our natural inclination but Jesus points his finger to heaven. He takes our eyes off of the natural and points to the supernatural. In my sanctified imagination, I can see us standing with Jesus, kicking the dirt with our toes, complaining about the mistreatment, unfairness and wickedness of the way we are being treated. Jesus reaching out to lift our chin, tilting our heads toward heaven, saying, “There’s more. There is so much more. This is nothing compared to what awaits you, My child. ‘Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.’”

Let me ask you a few questions I have asked myself recently. Do you live daily in light of heaven? Do you take seriously the rewards that await you in heaven? Do you make choices so as to maximize your heavenly reward?

Serious food-for-thought today.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

i Colossians 3:2

Look around.

Do you see the growing intolerance of Christians?

Do you agree the cost of being a Christ-follower is rising?

Do you sense the growing ambivalence/hatred to the Truth?

How are we preparing to live in a world that is so resistant to what we believe?

Apart from Christ – it would be frightening. Even with Jesus Christ it can be frightening when we lose sight of His sovereignty, His goodness, His power, His plan. He will prevail. He is the conquering King.

Don’t wait until the battle is upon you, prepare now. Be in the Word. Be on your knees.

The theme verse this year for Keswick is:
Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

How will you prepare to live courageously in the future, whatever may come?

Get ready.

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

As Sunday’s sermon came to a close and I put my Bible away – this thought struck me:

What if I listened to every sermon and took notes as if there was going to be a test afterwards? I loved being a student in college, grad school and seminary. I would not have thought of going to class unprepared without a pen and notebook. I didn’t want to miss a single thing I might later see on a test. How can I be any less diligent in lessons of my soul?

In reality, we are often tested after a message on the very thing that was preached, maybe on the way home from church or later that week or month. Perhaps we need to take the time sitting under the pastoral teaching/preaching more seriously and have pen and pad in hand to take notes. I plan to start doing that – like I once did. How about you? How serious are you about the training of your soul?

Blessings, Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.

We live in a culture that has instant news. We can Skype with people on the other side of the world. We can keep in touch with missionaries via email. We live in a culture very much immersed in self-indulgence. We want, what we want, when we want it. That is why the lottery is so successful. The chance to be rich without the wait.

We don’t like to wait in line at the grocery store. We don’t like to wait in traffic. We don’t like to wait. Period.

But, there is value in the wait.

When we pray, we want God to answer immediately. If He doesn’t answer in the affirmative, we assume He didn’t hear us.

There are valuable lessons in the wait, in the process. God’s goal is not only the destination it is also the journey to the destination.

There is value in the wait.

Wait on the LORD, And keep His way, And He shall exalt you to inherit the land. Psalm 37:34

Waiting isn’t necessarily passive. Waiting doesn’t mean don’t do anything. Waiting, in this context, means daily do what God calls you to do, daily learn, daily grow in Christ, all the while waiting for God to guide you to His destination for you.

There is value in the wait.

Blessings.
Diane

Diane Hunt is a Biblical Counselor, Women’s conference and retreat speaker and author. She serves as the Director of Partner Care and Director of Women’s Ministries at America’s Keswick. She and her husband John have two married children and four grandchildren. She loves reveling in warm sunny climates and playing with her grandchildren.