If you are desparately sick and beyond cure, what hope is there for you? Did you know that this is the state of the fallen human heart? Our hearts are desparately wicked, above all things (see Jeremiah 17:9 ESV, NIV, and KJV).
Praise the Lord there is hope and 'cure' in Jesus. When we come to Him with humbled contrite hearts, seeking His mercy and forgiveness we will receive His forgiveness (see 1 John 1:9).
If you look up the definition of humility online you'll see the explanation that it's having
"a modest view of one's own value and importance."
When we stand in front of God's mirror we'll get just such a view.
This is not to look contemptuously at ourselves but to see and realize where we stand in the whole scheme of things. As we believers in Jesus Christ live out our daily lives to please Him we will take honest and good looks at our attitudes and opinions of ourselves and in relation to others.
God's Word seeks to help us by telling us,
"Let each of you look not only to his own interests but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).
A good look at Jesus' parable about the Pharisee and Tax Collector may help us in our perception and estimation of ourselves. Read Luke 18:9-14 before proceeding.
We often
"trust in ourselves, that we are righteous and treat others with contempt" (Luke 18:9 ESV).
The Phariseee certainly did. He proudly stated all his good deeds to God and then thanked God he wasn't like the tax collector. He never looked at himself in God's mirror to see his own arrogant pride and self-righteousness.
Conversely, the tax collector couldn't even look God into the eyes. He knew and understood his own sinfulness and seemed to be repenting of it. He pleaded with God,
"God be merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13)!
He went home, the Scriptures state,
"...justified, rather than the other" (Luke 18:14 ESV).
When we humble ourselves, the Lord exalts us (see Luke 18:14 ESV).
When we take such a good look at ourselves we will be humbled. Careful now, not humiliated but humbled. It is the beginning of cultivating an attitude of humility, that is, imitating Christ's humility. This is something to be desired.
In turn, this can help us to look more into the interests of others, not busybody-like, but with genuine care and concern. It's like the J - O - Y of putting Jesus first, others next and yourselves last.
I like the saying that is attributed to C.S. Lewis,
"Humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less."
It could be a tougher call and sacrifice to ourselves and our own desires and interests but it is part of serving and loving others as did Jesus.
When we begin to don this attitude we will begin to heal, we will have found our hearts' 'cure' beyond our salvation. We need to keep this all in God's perspective until He comes ... perhaps, today.
~ ERC November 2025 ~
Based on Philippians 2:4; Luke 18:9-14; Jeremiah 17:9
Sing, Christ Our Hope, along with Keith and Kristyn Getty.
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