What happened to humility?

Proverbs 22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life. 


I'll begin this blog by providing a definition.  I generally assume (which is my mistake) that people know the meanings of words.  Humility is defined as:the quality or condition of being humble;  modest opinion or estimate of one's own importance, rank, etc.  Humble not proud or arrogant; modest: to be humble although successful.


Now that I have cleared that up, I shall continue.  Over the past several months I've heard so many people boast about being arrogant.  I've heard people place more value on the dollar than the heart. Well, my heart is troubled. I'm troubled to live in a world (society) whereby people have forgotten the very meaning of our existence.  God did not create us to be boastful and inconsiderate of our peers.  He did not intend for us to lose sight of humility.  


The verse above states that Humility and fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.  My understanding is that HUMILITY and FEAR of the LORD bring me all these things people "brag" about. But if I'm to be humble, then I'm not to flaunt.  And if I fear the Lord there is no bragging to be done because GOD gave it all to me and at any moment can take it all back (and will).  


This blog is a rather personal (much like most of mine) and emotional. I'm emotional because while I have always had my needs at my disposal. And while I grew in what some say a "Utopian life" my parents ALWAYS taught me humility.  I can recall on so many occasions my dad would say "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."  They constantly reminded me that true value and virtue was in the heart not the wallet.  


I'm struggling now. I'm struggling because the world around me can only see dollar signs.  The world around me bases everything on how much money a person has.  (Or how much someone THINKS they have). I'm not here to keep up with the Jones'. I'm not here to be covetous (that's another blog).  I am truly grateful for all of the things God has prospered me.  I'm humbled by God's kind spirit.  I realize that I am very blessed and fortunate to be where I am career wise and financially.  But I don't use that to measure who I am. And I certainly don't use a persons financial worth to measure their personal worth to me.  I'm not turned on by pretentious attitudes. And I'm most certainly not turned on by flashing money in my face.  In my HUMBLE opinion that would classify me as a prostitute!


I plead with my friends, family, colleagues,etc to please revisit humility.  Humility in GOD is not a bad thing.  We must not conform to this world.  It is this very world that has taught us that being humble is a weakness.  God has been too good to us for us to take his credit and boast as if we did this all alone.  We must stop putting so much on worldly things.  I look around and we have accepted so much worldly behavior as the new social norm. I can't conform. I won't conform.


My great-grandmother lived to be 108 years old.  My grandmother is currently 80 and is in better shape than any of us reading (writing) this. My grandfather lived to be 90+. My father is in tip top shape (better than me MUCH better than me).  My mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness when I was only 15 years old.  Allegedly she would spend less than a year with me. God gave us EIGHT years.  All of these people taught me to be humble, meek, appreciative, thankful, and respectful.  I'm looking for the prosperous life God honored (is honoring) them with.


I will go to my grave being those things. I will go to my grave respecting my God, myself, my family, my friends, my foes, etc.  I will go to my grave giving praise to God. I will go to my grave recognizing the value of God. I will go to my grave being a lover. I will go to my grave believing in God's promises.


I will go to MY heavenly home. . . HUMBLE!