KykNET Lent Guide 2023Sample

Week 1: Humility

Day 1:

HE that is down needs fear no fall,

He that is low, no pride;

He that is humble ever shall

Have God to be his guide.

I am content with what I have,

Little be it or much:

And, Lord, contentment still I crave,

Because Thou savest such.

Fullness to such a burden is

That go on pilgrimage:

Here little, and hereafter bliss,

Is best from age to age.

The Shepherd Boy Sings In The Valley Of Humiliation by John Bunyan

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14 NIV

In this parable, Jesus poses a problem. He shows to different roads to solve this problem and leaves everyone with a choice.

The problem is to be justified. This means to be approved of, accepted, to be taken into account. In today’s language, we refer to being “okay”, to have a good image of oneself, to live with respect, or to receive recognition. It is something we all want.

The first road is that of the Pharisee. He has a from-the-outside-to-the-inside approach. He tries to be justified by doing good. His motive is to be approved of by God and others. He compares everyone to himself and his prayers do not center around God, only himself. This is the road of pride.

The other road is that of the sinner. It is a from-the-inside-to-the-outside approach. There is nothing he can do to be justified. He asks for it and does not attempt to create it himself. His prayer is “have mercy on me” – it does not center around him, but God. He is convinced that only Jesus can justify him. This is the path of humility.

During this week, we will explore these two roads as well as ways of being and living:

God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. Matthew 5:5 (NLT)

Practice of Faith for the Week:

Write a hymn of praise (like Mary's hymn in Luke 1) to Jesus.