The Humility of King David
one
Pride is the effort to make oneself valuable and relevant by our accomplishments or attributes.
We then feel we are in competition with or intimidated by others because we fear their accomplishments or attributes like intelligence or beauty make ours seem noting in comparison.
Envy follows pride since it pushes us to tear others down in our effort to preserve our identity or worth.
And if our identity, our value as a person, comes from some accomplishment or attribute, then when someone else has greater, our value goes down and our identity is in danger. This causes fear and anxiety.
two
Let’s instead start from humility. Humility allows us to recognize four truths:
I. I have infinite personal value because God has made me in his image. Then he placed his divine life in my soul through Baptism. Sharing his divine life makes me in his likeness. We are made in the image and likeness of God. We are sons and daughters of God. That is our identity and worth.
II. As his son or daughter God the Father approves of you, delights in you and thinks you make the world a better place, not because of your accomplishments or attributes, but just because you are in it.
III. Recognizing our true identity should prompt the desire to reach our full potential for goodness and to do the greatest good with our life out of gratitude to God our Father.
IV. Humility also sees that nothing I do can increase or decrease my identity or worth because it is given by God. Now I can accept my limitations and delight in the accomplishments and gifts of others.
three
King David in the Old Testament thought his identity and worth came from his accomplishments. And having done such great things he wanted to do something for God. Then God said to David:
"I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, to be leader of my people Israel; I have been with you on all your expeditions; I have cut off all your enemies before you…I will provide a place for my people Israel;…I will give them rest from all their enemies…I am a father to you and you are my son; Your House and your sovereignty will always stand secure before me and your throne be established forever."
God said to David, “When I found you, you were following sheep. You want to do something great so that you will be great. I have already done the greatest thing for you, I made you my son. But you’ve seen nothing yet. I will do even greater things. Just remember who you are – my son. That is your identity and worth.”
four
David responds with gratitude!
King David then went in and seated before Yahweh, said: 'Who am I, Lord Yahweh, and what is my House, that you have led me as far as this? Yet in your sight, Lord Yahweh, this is still not far enough, and you make your promises extend to the House of your servant for a far-distant future...What more can David say to you, when you yourself have singled out your servant, Lord Yahweh? For your servant's sake, this dog of yours, you have done so great a thing by revealing this to your servant. In this is your greatness, Lord Yahweh; there is none like you, no God but you alone, as our own ears have heard.
five
We think we have to do something great to be great. And if we fail, then we have no value – we are worthless.
The fear drives us with a pressure that is crushing. It results in fear, anxiety and paralysis.
Remove the fear that if we don’t accomplish, we won’t have value.
Replace it with humility – with the truth.
It is not about what you do. It is about what God does and how gratefully we receive it.
You have value – you are a son of God. Its not determined by success or failure.
Then the anxiety fades, the paralysis leaves and confidence grows because there is nothing to lose. I can’t lose my God given identity.
The only thing I should fear is throwing my identity away by grave sin. (That’s tomorrows meditation.)
Suggest a practical resolution