Key scripture – “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28–29).

Pastor Charles Swindol stated that, in all his studies he has found only one place where Jesus Christ—in His own words—describes his own “inner man.” In doing so, He uses only two words. He doesn’t say: “I am wise and powerful,” or “I am holy and eternal,” or “I am an all-knowing and absolute deity.”

Do you know what He said? Hold on, it may surprise you. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:28–29).

I am gentle. I am humble. These are servant terms. Gentle means strength under control. Humble in heart means lowly—the word picture of a helper. This is what we are supposed to learn from the example of Christ.

It is extremely significant that when Jesus lifts the veil of silence and gives us a glimpse of Himself, the real stuff of His inner person, He uses gentle and humble. When we remember that God wants us to conform to His son’s image, we realize He wants us to have qualities like Jesus had. We must let gentleness and humbleness emerge and let selfishness, callousness and pride go. We are never more like Christ than when we fit into His description of Himself. “One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23).

Are you gently and humble in your interactions with strangers, co-workers, and family members or are you prideful in how you treat them and talk to them? “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18). Ask God to transform you to make you like Jesus – gentle and humble in heart and He will do it. “He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” (Psalm 25:9).

Pray this – Our Precious Heavenly Father, I want a gentle and humble heart but I cannot do it on my own, therefore, I will do what Jesus said and deny myself and take up my cross daily. “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” (Luke 9:23-24). I put off my old self which is selfish, prideful, and callous and I put on my new self which has a gentle and humble heart. “As the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4:21b-24). Teach me how to be meek, humble, compassionate, righteous and holy like Jesus, and to turn away from all evil. “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” (Proverbs 8:13). Thank You Jesus that You are the Teacher and Lesson, Guide and Way, Lord and Savior, All in All. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.