Grow Downward

I love sunflowers!  Knowing this, Mr. Bill planted some sunflowers for me and they were so pretty.  The drought, of course, was not kind to them and their lives were short-lived but they really did make me smile!

We have no humility by nature!  Certainly, there are moments where we soften and yield to others, but do not mistake this for true humility.  The great Puritan preacher, James Smith, described a distinguishing mark of the Christian as one who “grows downward in humility before God.”  What a radical idea – after all, what grows downward!  Bill and I were intrigued how the sunflowers grew in the direction of the sunshine, like they were stretching themselves to lap up every ray.  What a picture for Believers to stretch, clothing themselves with humility toward one another knowing that “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  (1 Peter 5:5)  Our greatest example in downward growth is in Jesus Christ, The Son, Who humbled Himself as obedient servant to suffer the wrath of The Father and satisfy our sin debt (Hebrews 5:8).  Like those beautiful sunflowers that grew toward the sun, let us keep a diligent bend toward Christ ever increasing in humility and grace.  Grow downward!