First part 5
The thing to remember about those who humble themselves being exalted is that it being exalted is not the goal. Jesus wasn't giving us an if-then statement. He wasn't saying, "If you humble yourself, then you will be exalted." It wasn't a loophole, or a shortcut, to getting what we want. Because, in all honesty, if being exalted is what you want... you've got your priorites really screwed up. But that's what a lot of us think life is about--getting ahead. Winning. Whoever dies with the most toys wins. We think that being right is more important than being kind. We think that if we're not first, we're last. When, in truth, we're all in this together. The tide raises all ships. If I help you, I'm really helping myself too. But in a selfless way. Laying your life down for your friends is the greatest love you can have. Giving everything you have and everything you are without worrying about how it's received. Without worrying about whether or not someone "deserves" it. Guys, "deserve" has nothing to do with it. Love is unconditional. It doesn't have conditions. It just is. It flows from our heavenly Father, into us... and out of us. Through us. So your mindset when humbling yourself ought to be... humble. Which, as I often say, doesn't mean thinking less of yourself, it simply means thinking of yourself less. Getting to the place where you can take the low seat--not in the hopes of getting a higher one--simply because you're not worried about where you're sitting. Making room for others. Looking out for others. If I have your back, and you have mine, neither one of us has to watch our own backs. Because we're covered. And that's a more excellent way to live. Being selfless is better than being selfish. Every single time. Because love is giving. Not getting. You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving. And you can't get while you're loving. Which doesn't mean you can't receive. Receiving and getting are two different things. Freely you have received, freely you can give. But getting something--taking something--is the opposite of that. If you have to lose in order for me to win--if you have to be last in order for me to be first--have I really won? If it comes at someone else's expense is it really worth it? Like we talked about with Pau's writings on eating food that causes someone to stumble. It is worth it? I don't think so. I think people are worth it. God and people. Loving God and loving people. Loving God BY loving people. And, really, the only way to be "first" is to love someone. To esteem others higher than yourself. To put others first. I know it's counterintuitive. I know it doesn't make sense to the "natural" mind. And I know it takes a complete mindset shift. But that's the point of the Kingdom. That's why Jesus preached things like this. He wanted us to have a different mindset. He wanted us to repent, or think differently in light of new information. That new information is the cross. That new information is God's love for us. God loves you. That makes you first in His book. Without you doing anything. So you don't have to climb the ladder. You don't have to step on other people. You can simply receive and release His love, and in that way put others first. Make others the same first that God made you. So be who you are and give what you've got. Receive and release the love of God. Don't try to exalt yourself. Just love people.