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Do you know what it means to be humble? (let them answer) Most people like to think that they are humble, but many of them are not. How many of you think that it is good to be proud? People are always telling us that we should be proud of doing this or doing that. If you get good grades in school or can play ball very well, people might tell you that you should be very proud. Maybe there are different ways to be proud but we know that Jesus approved of the humble and taught us not to think too much of ourselves or be proud.

There is one sentence in the Bible I would like to tell you about this morning. I think it has something to say about being proud or being humble. At the time this sentence was spoken, Jesus was talking to people about entering into the kingdom of God and what they should be like for God to give them passage. Jesus said that it would be harder for a rich man to enter heaven than it would be for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. You know how large a camel is and you know how big the eye of a needle is, don't you? Well, if you do, then maybe you will understand a little better the story I am going to tell you.

Once upon a time there was a camel by the name of Hermon. Now Hermon was no ordinary camel; he was the best--looking camel anyone had ever seen. He had a magnificent hump and this made him even prouder. Because Hermon was so fine, he didn't associate with just any camel. When Hermon went someplace he looked beautiful. Long red cords with gold emblems surrounded his head and neck. High upon his hump there was a seat that looked like a carriage and it was covered in velvet with jewels of ruby and sapphire dotting the length and height of it. When Hermon walked with his very practiced sway, he was something to behold. The other camels looked like poor relatives when compared to Hermon.

One day the very rich owner of Hermon emerged from his tent in a hurry and mounted the handsome camel in haste. "Now, Hermon," the owner said in a loud voice, "we must hurry to Jerusalem, for the enemy is on his way toward us, and if we are not safely within the gate before nightfall we shall be taken captive." Hermon knew of what enemy his owner spoke, and he knew that they were cruel people who would treat him roughly and make him carry heavy pieces of freight and other things that a fine camel was not used to carrying. Off Hermon went at a very fast gait. Still it did not seem fast enough for the owner as he kept urging Hermon on to greater and greater speeds. "Hermon," he said, "if we don't go faster the gate to the city will be closed and we will have to enter the great city through the eye of the needle."

"The eye of the needle," Hermon thought, "how will we do that?" Hermon knew what an eye of the needle was, for many times the tailor had been to his owner's tent to measure him for a new blanket or to do some work on the beautiful carriage, and the tailor worked with needles. The needle was small enough that Hermon could use it as a toothpick and the eye of the needle was so small that he couldn't even see it. Faster and faster Hermon went, cutting across the desert sands under the hot sun. The sand burned his hoofs as he raced over it. Never before had his owner asked him to use himself in such a way and it upset him that he should make him work so hard on such a hot day.

"At last, there is the city of Jerusalem ahead, and it's about time," gasped Hermon. Hermon liked Jerusalem because he knew the other camels and some of the other animals would look at him and say to one another what a handsome camel he was. Hermon thought how he would stretch his long and gracefully curved neck in such a way that no one could help but notice him.

"Oh, no," said the owner from high upon his back, "the gates are closed, and we will have to enter through the needle's eye." The owner knew what a proud camel Hermon was, and he knew his feelings would be hurt when his handsome camel saw what he must do to enter the city. There really was no other way, for the enemy was fast closing in on them. It was about then that Hermon saw that the gates to the city were closed. He realized he would be taken captive and the next thing would be hard work for the enemy.

"What is the needle's eye?" Hermon asked, almost in such a way that the owner could understand him.

"That is the little gate and we must enter the city on our knees through the little opening in the great door," said his owner.

Sure enough, there was a very small door in the big door where a camel could get through only if he crawled on his knees, pulled in his long neck, and scraped his hump. Only one could enter at a time, and it prevented the city from being attacked by an army. "Oh, my," said Hermon, "my beautiful garments are going to get dirty and the other camels will laugh when I come crawling into the great city so awkwardly."

Hermon had almost made up his mind to be taken captive when his owner commanded him to fall to his knees. Hermon began to inch through the small gate. What a squeeze for such a mighty animal! But at last he was through. There was the great city, the needle's eye was closed and locked behind him, and there were the other camels watching him. Hermon lowered his head with shame as he just knew what the other camels were saying. They never did like him but this was too much!

But wait a minute, the other camels were not laughing; they were cheering. "Proud Hermon," they said, "has humbled himself and was saved from the enemy." Hermon felt good because he had not only done what had been asked of him and brought his owner to safety, but also the other camels liked him for the first time. It felt good to be humble.

I suppose you know, boys and girls, the same thing is true of us. We too feel good when we are humble and not proud. God teaches us to use ourselves for other people's happiness and that in so doing we will be blessed with happiness ourselves. I can tell you Hermon was a lot happier camel after he passed through the eye of the needle than he was before, and so will we be when we lose our pride and accept humility.