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76,000,000 Documented decisions for Christ

The Way Up is Down

In the seventies and eighties CBS broadcast a hit sitcom called The Jeffersons. The show featured an African American family who became wealthy and moved out of a run-down area in Queens to a luxury apartment in Manhattan. As they celebrated their newfound promotion, the Jeffersons used to talk about “movin’ on up,” a phrase that has since become synonymous with the sitcom.

Whenever we speak of advancement or promotion, we tend to think of it as upward motion—climbing the ladder, breaking the glass ceiling, getting on top of the heap, upgrading, elevating, etc.— but nothing says it better than “movin’ on up.”

Up. It is the direction everyone wants to go, for the path upward seems to be the path to fame, fortune, honour, and glory. But isn’t it interesting that many of earth’s most precious substances can be acquired only by digging deep down? The person who is willing to go very low could become very wealthy. Engineers also understand that if they want to raise a tall building, first they need to go low and lay a deep foundation. So it is with promotion. Jesus said, “He who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14:11, NKJV). The low path of humility is the only way to promotion with God.

Joseph had lofty dreams of greatness. He saw his mother, father, and brothers all bowing down before him. But God’s way of promoting Joseph to the top was not what he would have imagined. Ironically, it was those very dreams of glory that bred contempt in the hearts of his brothers, who eventually sold him into a humble life of slavery.

Joseph’s path to greatness would take him through the lowlands of servitude, character assassination, and even imprisonment in the royal dungeon. For a while Joseph’s life seemed to have a downward trajectory, constantly going from bad to worse. I’m sure there were moments when he must have asked, “Why, God?” Wasn’t it God who had promised him promotion and influence? Had Joseph done something wrong? Is that why God was allowing him to go through such hardship?

Joseph descended the dark, winding staircase of humility and submission. When he reached the last door at the bottom, he discovered that this obscure, downward path had led him all the way to . . . the top! Almost overnight he found himself in one of the highest places of power and authority in the world. All along it was this lowly path that God had determined to use to lift Joseph up. Joseph discovered that the way up is down.

Perhaps the greatest example of this principle comes from Jesus Christ Himself. He who was “in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:6-11).

The world teaches us that we live in a dog-eat-dog world, and if we want to advance we need to fight for our rights, prove ourselves, and step on the competition if necessary. But Psalm 75:67 tells us that “promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, nor from the south. But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.” If we want to be promoted, it would be wise to heed the advice of the one who gives promotions:

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 14:11, NKJV

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth

Matt. 5:5, NKJV

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up

James 4:10, NKJV

A man’s pride [arrogance] will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honour

Prov. 29:23, NKJV

For not he who commends himself is approved, but whom the Lord commends

2 Cor. 10:18, NKJV

The first time I ever visited the Eiffel Tower, I noticed that there were three different queues you could join. One went to the first level, one went to the second level, and one went all the way to the top.

To come all the way to Paris and go only to the first or second level seemed ridiculous. I was determined to go to the top. I could see how the first- and second-level queues were climbing the stairs going immediately up, but for some strange reason my queue was headed downward. It seemed strange for the queue going the highest to be moving downward, but soon I saw the reason. While the other queues were climbing the stairs with their hands and feet, we were making our way to a lift that would take us all the way to the top.

God’s will for your life always leads you on the path of humility. Don’t make the mistake of thinking the humble path is the way for losers. Some people are so eager to be successful that they are climbing level by level with all their might, proving themselves and promoting themselves with feverish urgency. But you should know that God has an elevator waiting for those who want to go higher than level one or level two. And the only way to get to God’s lift is to go down to the low place of humility and submission. This is the path Jesus walked, and it leads to the loftiest place in existence. The way up is down.

Live Before You Die ( Book )

God has a plan for everyone. Do you know yours?

Live Before You Die was written to help you discover God's will for your life.

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