True Humility = True Freedom

if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Humility is an understood concept. I think it is challenging to fully grasp the meaning of the word, and even more so to live in humility. I looked up humble in the dictionary and found it defined: unpretentious, meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; showing deferential or submissive respect. Try applying these definitions to every relationship and activity in your life. Speaking only for myself - it's nigh impossible!

I attend a weekly healing prayer service. A few weeks ago, I was especially in tune with the Holy Spirit as the service progressed. I imagined Jesus stooped with basin and towel; moving from friend to friend around the room, gently clasping the heel of each man, guiding their foot over the basin, pouring the water. Cupping each foot and drying it with the towel. This was a slave's job - the lowliest, least important slave at that.

Have you ever participated in a foot-washing? It is humbling to wash the feet of another. It is even more so to be the one whose feet are being washed. It can be uncomfortable because you can feel exposed and vulnerable. The tendency is to want to tell the person, "You don't have to get down there on the floor. Get up!" Isn't that what Peter told Jesus? "Not my feet!" Jesus wanted Peter and the others to understand what humility truly is all about.

That is what God tells Solomon in this verse. Solomon has just finished dedicating a temple to God. And God is pleased. The temple is incredible, and God tells him He has heard him and appreciates his efforts. What God would really like, though, is for the people to humble themselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from their wicked ways. Oh . . . that's different. That's hard. That goes against human nature, for heaven's sake!

What God wants is for us to be like Christ with the basin and towel. Unpretentious-a slave to others-but a voluntary slave. I don't mean a doormat. Jesus was anything but a doormat. He was so certain of His identity in God, and of his purpose that He had nothing to prove to anyone. That freed Him to be who he was, and to do what he was called to do. What would my life be like, lived that way? How would the world be different if we all focused our energy on "washing the feet" of others? To be humble is to be truly free and truly joyful.