When He saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to teach them saying: “The poor in spirit are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs. Matthew 5:1-3 HCSB
God has been very good to me and allowed me to receive some awards. One of which I am very proud is the Distinguished Leadership Award that was presented to me by the Baptist Association of Christian Educators. This is an award that is given annually to one Christian educator who has made a significant contribution to the world of religious education. I was not expecting this award and was totally surprised by such recognition.
There were crowds of people following Jesus who wanted to hear him. Some had come to receive healing. The disciples were His closest friends and associates and certainly were held in high esteem by the crowds. They were probably proud of their positions as disciples of Jesus Christ. But Jesus had an important lesson to teach them. He went up on the mountain and then sat down (the normal position for a teacher). He then gathered His disciples and began to teach them that it is easy to become proud but those who are poor in spirit (a position of humility) would be blessed and receive the kingdom of heaven.
Challenge: It is easy to become proud because of our accomplishments, position, or power. Jesus calls all of us to have a spirit of humility and to look for ways to serve others. Pray that God will help you to be a person of humility and to avoid the temptation of becoming proud.