July 5

Hey, Bob!

Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Matthew 23:12).

Scripture: Matthew 23:5-12

Song: “Humble Thyself in the Sight of the Lord”

I met Robert at the Carpenter Shop, a youth outreach ministry sponsored by a local church in Reedley, California. It didn’t take long for us to become good friends. Later, we started working together on the same warehouse crew at W. T. Grant’s department store, just outside of town. I fondly called him HeyBob because I was always saying, “Hey, Bob, can you help me move this crate?” or “Hey, Bob, can you look up that invoice?” No matter the work-related request, he never hesitated. He completed every job with a smile on his face and a happy tune on his lips.

Outside of work, Robert responded the same way. He was always the first person to offer a needed ride, share his meal, help with a project, let others have the credit, or say thank you. I have met many godly people over the years, but few had a servant’s heart like Hey, Bob.

We Christians all wish to take up the spirit of humility. But let us remember: true humility means more than just passively squelching our natural pride; it is actively serving God by serving others. Such practical acts of submission are noticed by God and, in some mysterious way, recorded in Heaven. At a time of His own choosing, God will reward the humble by exalting them.

Dear Heavenly Father, teach me how to serve You and others in humility—not so I can be lifted up or honored in some way, but because it’s the right thing to do. I pray in the name of my humble Savior, King Jesus. Amen.