There is a tendency in all of us to exalt ourselves — to seek the recognition and attention of other people. As we dig into the context of this new command, we will see that Jesus cuts right to the heart and exposes this pride in all of us. God’s desire is that we would humble ourselves before Him, that we would be willing to take the “low place” before people, and that we would be content to live for His smile alone.
Do you desire to have God’s heart for the needy in your life? Do you want to see people the way that He sees them? God is no respecter of persons — His heart is the same for all people! We need to recognize that the ground is level at the foot of the cross – the reality is that we are all poor and needy! When we see God’s heart of love for us, we are then able to be a channel of that love and kindness to others.