Perhaps all too well we know our many shortcomings and ability to mess things up. And remembering these things can certainly keep us humble. But it doesn’t honor God to then forget the glory he has given us.
True humility is not being full of ourselves or selling ourselves short. Rather, it’s remembering and fully embracing the dignity God has bestowed on each of us.
We each bare a glory that God desires for us to fully reveal, as our glory reflects his own. And ultimately we deny his glory when we focus exclusively on our flaws.
Forgetting our glory as the true sons of God we then live as orphans– kings who have forgotten their true identity.
As such, our strength is no longer used to bring life and goodness to others. Instead, we use our strength to bully and push our agenda. Or we might allow harm through our passive disengagement.
Forgotten glory also blocks the movements of our heart. We either don’t know how to connect our heart to our life and relationships. Or we make an idol out of the objects of our affection.
Likewise, when we don’t remember our inner dignity we’re more prone to use our knowledge to selfishly manipulate others. Or we stick our heads in the sand and play dumb – taking no risk in offering our insights.
To honor God we must fully embrace all he has created us to be, including the dignity he has given each one of us uniquely.
In many ways it’s easier to simply forget. In our diminished state we get to hide from our responsibilities. To embrace our glory also comes with the responsibility to bear it well.
You were born with divine dignity engraved into your very being.
Remember your glory and bear it well.
Photo by Tikkho Maciel on Unsplash
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