The Path to Greatness

In today’s blog I would like to spend a couple more moments on the theme, “Lower.”  I hope you have paused sometime during these past two weeks to ask yourself, “If I want to go deeper, am I willing to go lower?” (Read the previous blog titled “Lower” to catch up.)  It was King David who, out of humility, was willing to lower himself more and more in his worship and devotion to the Lord.  He lived his life in pursuit of God and was always after more of God’s presence.

Another man of God, who was even more humble than king David, was Moses.  Moses was an Israelite who was adopted by the daughter of the king of Egypt.  He was raised in the palace with Pharoah as his grandpa (Ex. 2:10).  He was also a mighty prophet who led the nation of Israel out of Egypt toward the land God promised to them.  Moses had an intimate relationship with God; and God spoke with Moses face to face, like a person talking to their friend (Ex. 33:11, Num. 12:8).  The Bible even says that God expressed His approval of Moses by saying He was pleased with him (Ex.33:17), putting Moses in an elite group that included Noah (Gen. 6:8), Mary (Luke 1:30), and Jesus, with whom God was well pleased (Matt.3:17, 17:5, Mark 1:11, Luke 3:22).  Moses was further favored to see the goodness of God pass before his eyes on Mt. Sinai (Ex. 34:5-8).  The Bible sums up the life and ministry of Moses like this:

Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, who did all those signs and wonders the Lord sent him to do in Egypt – to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land.  For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

Deut. 34:10-12 (NIV)

If you are looking for a Bible hero, Moses may be your man!  There was none greater - Moses was the greatest prophet, who heard God speak to him directly and delivered God’s words to Israel and to us through the Scriptures.  Moses also performed the most miracles, more than Elisha, and more than any of the apostles.  In fact, were it not for this verse in Numbers, he would not belong in this blog about humility!

Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.

Numb. 12:3

Moses truly was a great man of God, used exceptionally by God to perform miracles, and had the most intimate relationship with God of anyone in the Bible except for Jesus; and he was the most humble of anyone.  But, was Moses the greatest and the most humble?  Or was Moses the greatest because he was the most humble?

Humility has kingdom purpose in God’s economy.  God does not want us humble just to exert control and dominance over us.  God desires to bless us like a good parent desires good things for their children (Matt. 7:9-11), and He has plans and purposes in all He commands us.  Lowering ourselves in our own eyes, laying down our pride and ego and taking on the attitude of a servant, puts us in the proper position for blessing and promotion. 

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

I Peter 5:6

Almighty God, whom David called, “My glory, the One who lifts my head high” (Ps. 3:3 NIV), has plans to lift you up and use you for His kingdom.  He has a plan and purpose to raise you up from the low place and use you in great ways you may not have thought possible.  Our heads need not hang low as we humble ourselves.  Rather, let us welcome God’s gentle hand to lift our heads and mold our lives into the people He can use.  The path to greatness begins with humility.