Follower or Imitator- Where is Your Humility?

The master showed us the concept of true humility, and reminded us that the servant is not above the master

Humble. Meek. Modest. Webster’s defines humility as a “modest or low view of one’s own importance”. 

How does Scripture define humility?

God defines humility as one of the most important character trait a person can possess. This is a trait that will bring you close to Christ – the humble servant – in living out your life. 

If you seek to live a life to be seen or to be the greatest in the kingdom of God or even within your own sphere of influence, you are truly missing out on what God is.

We see the concept of humility come up so often in Scripture, but a particular story comes to mind. 

The disciples have been following Christ for a while. They are seeing great miracles done all the time. Jesus has sent them out to begin to minister apart from Him, and they are moving in the power of His spirit. They come back rejoicing that the demons are subject to them, and Jesus reminds them that they should simply rejoice that they have been saved (Luke 10:17). 

Also, in Matt 18:1-5, they approach Jesus and ask who is going to be the greatest in the kingdom. Jesus, knowing the intent of their hearts, rebukes them gently by calling a child to Himself and stating “Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become like little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Nowhere in Scripture did someone climb the ladder of spiritual success by stepping on someone else. Elevation comes only through the Lord. He is the lifter of our heads. He is the promoter. True success is not measured by anything other than what we pour into others. 

Jesus often used children as examples for kingdom mindedness because of their purity. We are born with a nature to sin, this is true. However, as children, the world has not yet corrupted our vision. We still believe in miracles, in what we cannot see; because children live in a world of imagination and faith in the unseen. They take things at face value. If you tell them something is – it is. This is especially true in trustworthy relationships, such as with parents, grandparents, or other close relations.

As adults, we have become perverted and scathed by the world. We have been knocked down and kicked around. We have been trained to believe that to gain ground, you must take out a few lives along the way. Even the greatest, most faithful, believer must work to overcome this mindset. It is driven into the very foundation of the broken and sinful world we live and move in.

But God!!  

He calls us to come out from among this world. He reminds us in Phil 2:3 to “do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves”. We are called to put the needs of others above our own. To place the value of another life above our life. To see the worth and honor that others possess. Believe me, when you spend time contemplating the greatness of those around you, there is not much time or energy left to contemplate yourself. 

You also begin to realize something wonderful – you don’t have to carry the weight of the world yourself. The salvation of the world does not depend on you! The sun does not rise or set on you! What a relief!! You are free to go out and be “a part” rather than having to be “the whole” of the world!

Jesus compels us, just as He did the twelve, to “humble ourselves under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift us up in due time.” We do not know the day or the hour that God may elevate us. He knows exactly when we are prepared for promotion – whether it be in this physical world, or in the kingdom of heaven. 

Jesus reminded the twelve, as they sought positions with Him that “anyone who wants to be first must be the very last, and the servant of all.” Jesus – the suffering servant. The exemplary life lived out in absolute humility, to the point of death on a cross, for us. Shall we not live likewise?

Questions:

1.   Are we living like children, approaching life lightly and in faith – or are we taking things to seriously and trying to be “masters of our own fate”?

2.   Do we put the needs of others above our own? More importantly, do we place too high of an estimation of our worth and value, especially in service to God?

3.   What is something tangible that we can do to humble ourselves today?

Scriptures to Consider:

Eph 4:2 “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

Prov 11:2 “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.”

Col 3:12 “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

2 Chron 7:14 “If my people, who are called by me name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin, and I will heal their land.”

Matt 11:29-30 “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

“The only humility that is really ours is not that which we try to show before God in prayer, but that which we carry with us in our daily conduct” - Andrew Murray