By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.
Devotional Text
No better example of this scripture can be found than in the story of the little maiden named Mary. Though she was young and from a lowly town in Galilee called Nazareth, Mary believed God. Because of her belief, all generations have called her blessed. The examples from the Bible are many of those whom God exalted. As a nation, Israel was blessed and exalted. When Balak tried to curse God’s people, God told him, “You are not to curse these people, for I have blessed them!” (Numbers 22:12). Yet another example of the exalting of the Lord is found in the life of David, who was taken from the field while tending a few sheep and exalted to be king of Israel. Joseph, who was languishing in an Egyptian prison, also witnessed the blessing of the Lord that brought him to Pharaoh’s right hand in exaltation. We must value the blessing of the Lord upon our lives because it exalts us before the heathen and brings great glory to God. May the blessing bestowed upon a simple virgin of Nazareth remind us of one eternal truth: God’s “mighty arm does tremendous things! How he scatters the proud and haughty ones! He has taken princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly” (Luke 1:51-52). Be blessed . . . then exalted!
