How Humble Are You?

I was reading this list that someone made...

Personal Evaluation: How Humble Are You?

When people disagree with you, do you argue to defend your position?
Are you hurt when those whom you dislike are honored?
Do you find it difficult to admit you are wrong?
Do you inwardly react to criticism?
Do you give your opinions before being asked for them?
Do you enjoy sharing about your accomplishments?
Do you talk more than you listen?
Are you more concerned about your reputation or God’s?
Do you seek ways to humble yourself?
Do you do things for praise and compliments?
Do you accept praise rather than deflecting it?
Are you quick to correct others when they make mistakes?
Do you react when you do not receive credit you are due?
Do you compare yourself with others rather than God?

It really makes me stop and think. I am chewing on a verse this week. It talks about our need to repent. Many people think that if they do something bad, ask forgiveness and move on that they have repented. Some people do the same thing over and over and over and over again. It is suppose to be OK, because they ask forgiveness. To repent means that if you are walking north, then you turn around and head south. It is to turn around and walk directly opposite from where you have been going. I realize that there are things that we all struggle with. However, did God instruct us to do something that He did not equip us for? Sometimes it is just a matter of us making RIGHT choices.

We often see things in other people's lives quicker than we see them in ourselves. I have heard it said that something that bothers you in others is often something that you are guilty of in your own life. One of the things that God instructs us as wives to do is:
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so [let] the wives [be] to their own husbands in every thing. Eph. 5:22-24

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Col. 3:18


We are also told to honor our husbands and to respect them. I have a friend who truly exemplifies "Mrs. Goodwife". Yet, I hear little things from other women in both good and not so good marriages that perk up my ears. With what I have been studying, instead of looking at those women, I am looking at myself to see if I am guilty of the same thing. I am ashamed to admit, I am. I hear a child ask, "Daddy, can I go outside?" Before the Dad can open his mouth, the Mom says, "No, it's too muddy." Let's say we are visiting somewhere and there is good conversation going on. I might say, "Come on Michael, it's time to go home." Or someone's husband tells someone, "Sure, we would love to go with you." Then you hear the wife counter that with "I'm not going there." These are not said in ugly tones even. These are not submitting, honoring or respecting our husbands. They are placing us in authority over him. There are other ways to say these things. Like if I am ready to go, to simply ask Michael if we could go home soon. Although many times, especially with me, I need to just keep my mouth shut. I guess I always thought that to err in this area would be something like talking bad about my husband to someone, even in the guise of a prayer request. Or coming right out in a snotty tone and telling him that I would NOT do whatever it was he told me to. However, I think it goes beyond this. A wise older woman once told me that to honor and respect my husband was a command from Almighty God, not a feeling I needed to conjure up. I know in years past, I have truly torn my wonderful man down with my tongue. God has done some real whuppin' on me and is working that out of me. No, I need to learn to humble myself, put my husband before me and let him KNOW, not just think, that he is king. May the Lord continue to teach me and grow me in this area. My I truly repent and walk in the opposite direction.