SHALL MAKE ITS BOAST!

“My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear of it and be glad” (Psalm 34:2).

To whatever extent you praise the Lord, the humble will hear the same and feel happy to that level. There are a lot of humble people around you. When it is said ‘humble’, you should not think that it indicates the poor alone. 

Some people may be very rich, but in their elderly age, they might have been deserted by their children and would have reached a sorry state of affairs. They might have created a big garden of mangoes but today they would have been deprived of their right pluck even a single mango from the trees. They might have constructed a beautiful house but today they must be lying on a simple coir cot outside that house with sickness. Afflicted people are many and many in number. 

At one stage, Job the devotee was leading a prosperous life. He was a wealthy person. But when he got afflicted, even the children mocked at him. Job had been afflicted by both losses and sickness. How to comfort these afflicted persons? How to make them happy? King David teaches us the way. He says, “My soul made its boast in the Lord. The humble heard it and were glad. Not only that. They will look up to God and become bright.” What a great transformation in the lives of the humble!

There was a rich man in the United States of America. He owned around sixty acres of farming land and after sowing was waiting for the ripe time to harvest. But, all of a sudden, a terrible disease attacked the plants in his field and as a precautionary measure, the government burnt all the plants in his field using petrol so that the disease does not spread to other places. The entire area of sixty acres was burnt to ashes. He not only lost the plants but the land also became barren. The rich man became poor and reached a pitiable condition. The rich man thought that he had no other option other than resorting to suicide.  Humility, such a humility.

Just when he decided to end his life due to the sorrow-filled situation and shame, he visited a church in search of consolation. The praise to God, created a ray of hope within him. He who had been afflicted began to rejoice. From then on, he began to climb fast and got back his wealthy position very soon. Yes. When you praise God, you begin to climb from your low position and get exalted. 

Our God is one who comforts the downcast (II Corinthians 7:6). He is being called as God of all comfort” (II Corinthians 1:3). He experienced affliction in every way. Dear children of God, it is that afflicted God who comforts you. He is the one to change all your afflictions.  

To meditate: “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18).