A couple of years ago, in a revival, the visiting minister preached on 2 Chronicles 7:14 – a passage that Vice President Pence placed his hand on as he was sworn in and a passage that we have often been reminded of as a call to what would really make America great again. When we think of this passage, most folks jump to the call to prayer and overlook the first command for us to “humble ourselves” first. That is what the revival minister focused on.
Humility is very hard because of the “I” problem. The general definition for humility is to have a modest view of oneself. In that age of focus on self, the constant message is to build ourselves up, care for ourselves, and esteem ourselves. While it is self-defeating to do the opposite, a good balance for individuals is needed in order to have a well-working society. Society is after all a collection of individuals who are connected together in the functioning of the society.
Strong connections can be seen as necessary in everything in our world. Individual bricks stacked together will not keep a house unless bound together with mortar. Our bodies could not move if the bones were not connected together with ligaments, etc. Families have weakened as family members operated more individually.
When America was greater, there were more connections in families and communities. There was more humility and fewer “I” problems. Those connections kept us stronger as a society and in turn as individuals also because of the mutual support. Life was more about us and we than about I and me.
The strength of America and its families and communities was built on the humility of setting aside self for the greater good. The strength of a Christian is in getting self out of the way for God to work through the person. It will only be when we humble ourselves, that the rest of the healing of our nation will happen.
