"OK Daddy. You Can Look at Me Now!"

Proverbs 22.4 NLT

“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”

My five year old daughter bounded downstairs and prior to passing my line of vision warned, “Don’t look at me, Daddy. Don’t look at me.” She flew into the laundry room to finish putting on what she called “the final touches.” This apparently included important accessories… a plastic flowered headband, anklet socks with embroidered pink hearts, and new Nike shoes. Of course, I complied and resisted the temptation to peek. Finally she announced, “OK, Daddy. You can look at me now.”

“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”

I opened my eyes and beheld the most beautiful sight in my small universe. My precious little girl beaming and twinkling like a tiny, radiant star, all dressed up and ready for her first day of Kindergarten. That moment, fourteen years ago, may have been one of the happiest days of her then 2,000 days of life on earth. I fondly remember it as one of my happiest days of life. The first day of Kindergarten is a really big deal. 

Someday I will make a transition to something even bigger than Kindergarten. I will cross heaven’s threshold and come into the presence of my Father who lives there. But I’m not quite ready for Him to see me yet. I have a little accessorizing left to do. My first 24,148 days on earth have not been enough time to get fully dressed for the occasion.

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves
with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Colossians 3.12 NIV

There in the middle of God’s accessory list is humility, arguably my most important “final touch.” I am aware my eternal destiny is secure by faith in Christ. I know I will go to heaven and God loves me just the way I am. However, I really don’t want to go there partially clothed. If I live to be one hundred years old, I have only about 12,000 days left to get ready. That’s definitely not too much time to don this special virtue.

“True humility and fear of the Lord lead to riches, honor, and long life.”

Proverbs describes “true humility” as a condition for “riches, honor, and a long life.” I want nothing to do with the self-deprecating false humility that masks insecurity in a relationship with Christ. Nor do I want to pretend I am humble when clearly, I still am not. I long for the real thing, the genuine article. I hope to fully clothe myself in the “true humility” of Christ so that I may someday announce with assurance... “OK, Daddy. You can look at me now!”