![]() Hungarian-born mathematician Abraham Wald lent his skills to the World War II efforts after coming to the United States in 1938. Christ relinquished His status for us, revealing through all history the humble nature of God. For without Jesus, humility wouldn’t be “good,” or a Be Humble Day even thinkable. By the end of the first century, even secular writers were calling humility a virtue because of what Christ had done.Įvery time someone is praised for being “humble” today, the gospel is being subtly preached. Such a praiseworthy act forced humility to be redefined. There, the one who was “in very nature God” gave up His divine status to become “a servant” and “humbled himself” to die for others (Philippians 2:6–8). But all this changed, historians say, at Jesus’ crucifixion. Humility meant inferiority, like a servant to a master. Boasting about one’s achievements was expected, and you sought to raise your status, never lower it. Humility was considered a weakness, not a virtue, in the ancient world, which prized honor instead. But interestingly, this hasn’t always been the case. Universally recognized as a virtue, humility is certainly worth celebrating. February alone has a Sticky Bun Day, a Sword Swallowers Day, even a Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day! Today has been labeled Be Humble Day. ![]() ![]() As we reflect Him, may the world be amazed to see His glory shine through us.I’m often amused by the unofficial holidays people come up with. This is our role, as one source says, “perhaps because unbelievers are not able to bear the full blazing glory of His light firsthand.”Ĭabrera teaches his art students that “anything that has direct light falling on it in a scene becomes a source of light itself.” Similarly, with Jesus as “the true light that gives light to everyone” (v. ![]() 8).Īs with John, we’re chosen by God to reflect Christ’s light to those living in the shadows of an unbelieving world. The gospel writer tells us, “He himself was not the light he came only as a witness to the light” (v. John the Baptist “came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe” (v. We hear similar insight in the Bible concerning Jesus as “the light of all mankind” ( John 1:4). He says, “Reflected light belongs to the shadow and as such it must support, not compete with the lighted areas of your painting.” Message : To capture the beauty of reflective light in his landscape oil paintings, artist Armand Cabrera works with a key artistic principle: “Reflected light is never as strong as its source light.” He observes that novice painters tend to exaggerate reflected light. In describing Jesus as life and light, John teaches us that He’s God’s fullest revelation, the ultimate source of hope for all people. Isaiah says Israel was called to be “a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (42:6–7). In Psalm 119:105, Scripture is described as a “lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Light was also understood as a symbol for holiness-being separated from the world and devoted to God’s purposes. In Deuteronomy, for example, the Israelites were told that through obedience to God’s law they could “live and increase” (30:16). Both life and light in Jewish tradition would’ve been associated with God’s revelation in Scripture. John 1:1–4 describes Jesus as God’s Word-the source of life and light for all humanity.
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