Pride, and service and advice

Tuesday of week 32 – Titus 2:1-8,11-14 ; Ps 36:3-4,18,23,27,29; Luke 17:7-10

“Turn away from evil and do good, and you may abide for ever.” (Ps 36)

When humility is missing in me, even my “help” can become more about me than about the other person. It turns into a quiet hunt for approval—the pride of getting it right, looking good, being seen as useful. But Jesus reminds us that life in His Kingdom looks like service. The servant’s first thought isn’t, “Will I be thanked?” but, “Will they be cared for?”

In Luke’s Gospel, the servant comes in from the field and still serves at table before resting—no applause, no fuss, no special praise. That can sting. What do I do when my effort goes unnoticed? Can I keep loving when there’s no reward? Can I give freely, without needing anything back?

The same goes for the advice I offer. Without humility, even true words can land like a slap. Saint Paul urges guidance, especially for the young—but he insists on the credibility of a lived example. Advice without witness easily becomes correction from above, not care from beside. It builds walls instead of building people up.

Real service seeks the good of the other. It wants them to flourish, not me to shine. It learns to thank more than to be thanked.

Lord, soften my heart. Fill me with love, gratitude, and generosity. Make me a faithful servant — quietly, gladly, and for Your glory alone.