The "Ups and Downs" of Mortality

Reading this post made me think about a few of my favorite scriptures on the topic of pride and humility.

The scriptures a loaded with warnings about pride, lifting ourselves up above others. They also contain numerous invitations to humble ourselves and serve others.

These verses, spoken by the Savior in 3 Nephi 27, play on the them of lifting up and being cast down:

13 Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.
14 And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—
15 And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.
16 And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.
17 And he that endureth not unto the end, the same is he that is also hewn down and cast into the fire, from whence they can no more return, because of the justice of the Father.

The ultimate act of humility involved the greatest irony in the history of the world--when the Eternal Creator of this world was lifted up by men to be crucified, judged as a blasphemer against the very God they claimed to worship (and who He actually was), and was slain for the sins of the world.

There will come a day when each of us will be lifted up by that same Being to be judged of Him.