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| 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
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