Everyone is in favor of humility…but no one wants to be humbled

After the resurrection, Jesus manifested Himself to seven of His disciples. Several of them were expert fishermen, and they had followed Peter as we went fishing—something familiar, something they knew well and were good at.

Yet, after fishing all night, they were asked by the stranger on the shore if they had any fish. Their concise answer: “No!” Failure at what they did best!

Next, the stranger (Jesus) had the audacity to tell them how to do what they already knew very well. He told them to throw their nets over the other side of the boat. I can just feel the frustration. Who was this to tell them how to fish?!? Yet, they obeyed and soon found their nets close to breaking as they were full of 153 large fish!

This was humbling!

In this state of failure in their strongest area, fully humbled, Jesus revealed Himself to them. He told them to drag their full nets up on shore. They recognized Him now, and He simply asked them to sit down to have breakfast with Him—sweet and close fellowship with the One they loved.

How important is humility for this scene? Very!

Peter would later go on to write that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. He exalts those who humble themselves! Humbled, they meet with the Lord!

I wonder why we dislike being humbled? I think we work all our lives to be sufficient, or even self-sufficient. This isn’t bad by itself, but it takes away our daily, child-like dependence on Jesus. It is pride, and God opposes it.

So, learn from this that humility is our friend. It helps point our eyes and hopes up to Jesus and not within our own meager resources. Let’s change that today. Embrace a spiritual humility before God and man. Be like a child and hold onto Him and trust Him for everything! Let’s begin today!