A Prayer to Have a Heart of Humility

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Colossians 3:12 NIV)

The day my boss informed me I’d been chosen as our school district's Teacher of the Year, excitement overwhelmed me. I couldn’t believe I’d been selected for such an honor! Each year, the Teacher of the Year award was announced at the end-of-semester district luncheon, surrounded by lots of fanfare. This was certain to be a once-in-a-lifetime moment.

The announcement was kept secret until that special day, but the more my excitement grew, the more my pride swelled. I anticipated the feeling of being recognized in front of my peers. I started focusing more on my moment, and less on the One who equipped me to do the important work I’d been called to do.

To my surprise, the much-anticipated luncheon came and went without much fanfare at all. Because of last-minute scheduling changes, I was invited to the front of the room to quickly accept my 5-inch square plaque and enjoy a few brief seconds of applause for a job well done. Then back to my seat I went, as the rest of the announcements carried on.

I sat in stunned silence wondering how I’d let my pride get so out of control.

Read the full devotional here.

Video created by Kayla Koslosky.

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