Exalt — hold someone in very high regard; to think or speak very highly of.
A humble and loving servant of all is the one who is highly exalted according to the truth (of the ways of God) – in God’s kingdom. The lie of the world is that those who are beautiful, popular, powerful, wealthy and possess many things are highly exalted. But God’s ways are the real way, and the world’s ways are just a lie.
Humble — not thinking you’re better than others for the beauty, knowledge, career success, wealth and things you possess – not making your boast in them. Not showing partiality, knowing we’re all equal. And not thinking you’re better than others for serving others. Having a lowly opinion of yourself (not a bad or negative opinion, just knowing you’re not better than others) in the way the world views people for their material and vanity. Knowing I’m not self-sufficient (I’ve accomplished nothing on my own)…being completely dependent on God for everything: salvation, health, safety, income, career success, help growing in godliness with the power of the Spirit, ministry, the timing of everything, and not relying on any of these things, knowing they can all be taken in an instant. Nothing makes you “better” than the next person. We’re just “highly regarded” and “highly spoken of”.
Knowledge — to have knowledge simply means that you’re further along in your walk – not better than others. Use that knowledge to benefit others by teaching them in order to get them quickly up to speed where you are in your walk.
Wealth — serve with love and use that wealth to benefit the needy.
Prejudice — having a preconceived opinion of a person’s inward man based on the appearance of their outward man. Do you think a person’s inward man is better or worse based on how they dress? Do you think a person’s inward man is better or worse based on the car they drive?
If God gives you a ton of wealth, the key is to remain humble, knowing you’re not better than anyone else for the wealth that’s been given to you. To remain content with simple necessities to get you through this life and not pursue excess luxuries: castles and planes and yachts and multiple mansions and dozens of fancy cars – all excessive things that one doesn’t need. Rather, lovingly serve others with the vast majority of the wealth that’s been given to you by distributing to the needy. That money is God’s money entrusted to you to distribute to the needy to get them through this temporary life.
Exaltation according to the lie of the ways of the world: fame, fortune, power and beauty.
Exaltation according to the truth of the ways of God in His kingdom: humility, love for God, love for strangers, servanthood.
This life is but a blip compared to eternity. Our mission in this life is to get in, get saved, grow in godliness, get others saved, help others in need, and get out to the eternal state in heaven.
We brought nothing into this world, and the key is that we will carry nothing out except our humility, our love for God and our love for our neighbor (or lack thereof). All we have – the only thing that lasts – is our humility, our love for God and our love for our neighbor.
Your humility and love get you an exalted status.
That extra wealth (and the intelligence/talent/opportunities used to acquire that wealth in this world) was given to you by God to bless the needy abundantly, not for storing up for yourself.
It’s about the person – not the material. Are you a lowly, God fearing (you believe the gospel, you respect God’s ways, you follow God’s ways), loving person. The material means nothing. “I will exalt you if you are lowly, God fearing and loving.”
“A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” It consists of his humility, love for God and love for strangers. Possessions don’t bring our inward man peace and joy. The fruits of the Spirit of humility, love, kindness, peacefulness, gentleness, goodness, patience, self-control, faithfulness and holiness do.
Reducing it down: Heart posture is what exalts you (the state of your inner man) – not material.
You need to be able to separate what the world exalts you for, vs what God exalts you for. Knowing the way the world exalts you (according to the lie that you’re better for these things), and knowing the way God exalts you (according to the truth of the ways of God):
- The world exalts you for your career success, wealth, power, beauty, fame, quality of possessions, the way you dress and present yourself. This is the lie. This is not what’s reality.
- God exalts you for your love for Him (accepting His way of salvation, and respecting and following His ways of godliness), your love for others, and your humble, lowly opinion of yourself – not thinking you’re better than anyone for anything (in context of how the world ranks people from least to greatest based on material possession and vanity). This is the truth. This is what’s reality.
I don’t mind at all that you have a successful career, that you have wealth, that you’re beautiful, that a lot of people know you. But I know that you’re not better than anyone for those things. What I judge is if you have a humble, lowly opinion of yourself despite having those things, and if you love God (believing the gospel for salvation and walking in godliness) and if you love and serve others, especially strangers. And if you do, then I exalt you.
See the person, not the material. See what type of person they are – not what they possess. See the rich – they need humility. See the God fearing, loving, humble and poor – glory in your exaltation, for God has highly exalted you. See the rich – are they humble despite their circumstances? Do they fear God, exhibit godliness, and love others and serve them? James 1:9-11 – let the humble glory in his exaltation. Let the rich glory in his humiliation.
The world judges and exalts you based on material and vanity. God judges and exalts based on love and humility. The world exalts the possessions. God exalts the inner person.
The world approves you based on your career, wealth, beauty, fame, the quality of your possessions, the way you dress and present yourself. God approves you based on the heart – the inner man. I seek to be approved by God – not the world.
You can’t know a man by simply looking at him – by whether he’s wealthy looking or poor looking. Test the spirit against the truth of God, to see what kind of man he is, and whether to exalt them or not. The world says a wealthy looking man is better, and a poor looking man is scum. But God says a poor looking man that loves God, loves and serves others and is humble, is highly exalted over the wealthy looking man who is prideful and unloving towards God and others. Take the wealthy looking and the poor looking man out of their homes, then out of their cars, strip them naked and judge their inner man. The poor looking man might be the rotten one, whereas the wealthy looking man may be exalted in God’s eyes, or vice-versa.
Stop judging like the world and judge like God:
- Strip them naked of all their possessions, fame and beauty.
- Test the spirit to see if they’re humble, God loving and fearing, and love and serve strangers (Luke 6:32-36 — But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them).
- Make a judgement: approve or disapprove concerning the ways of God.
- If approved: exalt.
See what comes out of a man/woman. See what comes out of you as well.