Test time…you’re going to love this.

Directions: How to take the test: read the question-there is one. Then read the answer.

Finally, think about the answer.

To know whether you pass the test or not check with God. Your heart has a built in God approval feature. It comes standard in every human. You can ask God, “How did I do?” He will tell you either way-asking or not.

Oh…no need to write your name on your paper. He knows your name.

Question one and only:  Which fall flower has the greatest humility? (Do not attempt to begin an argument with me by saying, “I did not know flowers had humility.” Just read the answer.)

The answer: Downy Gentian, a flower of the prairie native to the prairie regions of North America. Consider these facts…

Downy Gentians are short. They typically grow 6 inches tall or less.

Downy Gentians are hidden…the other plants of the prairie tower above it. To find Downy Gentian one must hunt for it.

Downy Gentians have lots of competition… for soil nutrients, sunlight and water.

Downy Gentian roots are intertwined… with the roots of all the plants growing around them.

Downy Gentian blooms in the fall-among the last of prairie flowers. Most other prairie flowers bloom earlier-they receive the most direct sunlight, summer rains, summer temperatures, with no risk of frost.

Downy Gentians risk having no pollinators (they flower late…early frost kills pollinators) to pollinate their blossoms…and produce seed for the next generation.

The Downy Gentian is a magnificent, beautiful flower. It may be the most beautiful of all flowers in a prairie and it is almost last to bloom. It doesn’t need a voice, the flowers of Downy Gentian shout, “Look at me-see my Creator!”

This question is not on the test. Use it to understand the question.

What is humility?

Humility is: lowly, unassuming, unpretentious, and in this case, literally-down to earth. The opposite of humility is self-exalting, look-at-me, boastful and proud, often haughty. Which do we prefer in our fellow humans?

Now for the final part of the test. We’ve come to the part where it’s your turn to ask the question. Directions: You ask the question. Then read the answer provided for you. It’s my guess your question is, “Why talk about the Downy Gentian as if it is human? It is a plant. Plants can’t be humble.

Actually, the Downy Gentian is a perfect illustration of humility. We NEVER hear Downy Gentian plants shouting, “I’m beautiful!” It is physically lowly. It deals with all of the stresses of an entire growing season and comes out beautiful. It shares all the sunlight, soil nutrition and water with its neighbors-tall plants, big plants, plants with vast root systems…imagine being so close to your neighbor your toes touched-all the time, you bump elbows, even noses. The Downy Gentian is closer than that. In all of that close competition it ends the growing season with an exclamation of magnificent blooms. But unless humans hunt for them they are unseen. They are not first, they are last.

Do you see what I mean?

Downy Gentians illustrate humility.

They are humility in beautiful petals of blue.

Now for the bonus test question. All of us need to understand and know the answer to this question because our future rides on the answer…our forever future.

Bonus question: Why is knowing about humility so important? Answer: because we are human, we are naturally proud, at times even arrogant. We have egos to fuel our pride in self. Don’t believe it? Look around you. We are surrounded on all sides by a lack of humility-often we are the worst. Now you are thinking…” So, what’s the problem if everyone is this way?” It’s this. Our pride tends to make us a little god. (no capital intended) But we are not God. There is only one God…the eternal everlasting Creator of the seen and unseen: GOD. In pride and arrogance, we exalt ourselves and replace God with self. ONLY God is to be exalted. Only God is to receive glory. Does this seem to narrow, too confining? Does the clay tell the potter, “you did it wrong?”

Here’s what the Bible teaches us this about pride:

“The arrogance of man will be brought low and human pride humbled; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day.” Isaiah 2:17

Take a lesson from the Downy Gentian, breath taking in beauty…but our example of humility. Humility is a gift from God. Ask and He will give it. We are not humble without God. Then consider, is God pleased with Downy Gentian? There is no doubt. After creating for 6 days God said, “It is very good.”

We’ve come to the end of the test…here is the final lesson from the book of Isaiah:

“Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.”  Isaiah 66:2