Jesus = Humble (Daily Encouragement)
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden in light. (Matthew 11:28-30)
In the Bible, “the heart” is used not as a “part” of who we are but the “center” of who we are. It is not just our emotional life but the center of all we do, “our motivation headquarters”. It is what defines and directs us. It drives all that we do. It is who we are are. In the four gospels, which lay out the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, there is only one place Jesus tells us about his own heart. When he does, he doesn’t say he is demanding, demoralizing or even dignified, he says he is “gentle” and “lowly” in heart*:
“The Greek word “gentle” occurs just three other times in the New Testament (Matt. 5:5, Matt. 21:5, Zech 9:9), and means meek. Humble. Gentle. Jesus is not trigger-happy. Not harsh, reactionary, easily exasperated. He is the most understanding person in the universe. The posture most natural to him is not a pointed finger but open arms. The meaning of the world “lowly” overlaps with that of “gentle,” together communicating a single reality about Jesus’s heart…The point in saying that Jesus is lowly is that he is accessible. For all his resplendent glory and dazzling holiness, his supreme uniqueness and otherness, no one in human history has ever been more approachable that Jesus Christ. No prerequisites. No hoops to jump through…The minimum bar to be enfolded not the embrace of Jesus is simply: open yourself up to him. It is all he needs. Indeed, it is the only thing he works with.” (Gentle and Lowly, Dane Ortland)
The heart, center, of who Jesus is gentle, lowly…humble. The call is to come to Him, open yourself up to Him today and everyday. He will bring rest to your souls (more on that tomorrow!).
*This is adapted from “Gentle and Lowly” by Dane Ortland