what i believe: nobility in humility

This morning I was listening to the First Presidency Christmas Devotional as I got ready for church (the prophet and two counselors who lead our church make up the First Presidency). I missed it when it initially aired so I was listening through lds.org. President Uchtdorf's talk struck me as so true and right that I wanted to share part of it. The transcript is not up on the site so I had to transcribe it as I listened to it, so any errors here are mine, not his:

Think of the simple yet dignified way our Heavenly Father chose to honor the birth of His son: on that Holy night, the angels came not to the rich, but to the shepherds. The Christ child was born not in a mansion, but in a manger. The child was wrapped not in silk, but in swaddling clothes. The simplicity of that first Christmas foreshadowed the life of the Savior. Though he had created the earth; though he had walked in the arms of majesty and glory; though he had stood at the right hand of the Father, he came to this earth as a helpless child. His life was a model of modest nobility. He had no place to lay his head; and he walked ever among the poor, the sick, the downcast, and the heavy laden. Though he was a King, he cared neither for the honors nor for the riches of man. His life, his words, his daily activities were monuments of simple yet profound dignity. Jesus the Christ, who knew perfectly how to give, set for us the pattern of giving. To those whose hearts are heavy with loneliness and sorrow, he brings compassion and comfort. To those whose bodies and minds are afflicted with illness and suffering, he brings love and healing. To those who souls are burdened with sin, he offers hope, forgiveness, and redemption. If the Savior were among us today, we would find him where he always was: ministering to the meek, the downcast, the humble, the distressed, and the poor in spirit. As he gave to us, let us give to him by loving as he loves...Elder Wirthlin said: "Love is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the pathway of discipleship. It comforts, counsels, cures, and consoles. It leads us through the valley of darkness and through the veil of death. In the end, love leads us to the glory and grandeur of eternal life." Let us ever remember that Jesus Christ is the light of the world. May we remember the humble dignity of his birth, his gifts, and his life. May we, through our simple acts of kindness, charity, and compassion, fill the world with the light of his love and his healing power.

I love it when he says Christ's life was a "model of modest nobility." I wish I could be that way. I hope some day I can live my life like the Savior did, with humble dignity. I believe there is nobility in humility.

You can listen to the rest of his talk here.

(art: she shall bring forth a son by liz lemon swindle)