Today, it isn’t easy being humble. Society judges people on how much MORE they have than others. More money … more fame … more homes … more luxuries … more selfies on social media.
By worldly standards, someone who acts humbly is considered weak. This is why allowing the world to define our standards is so dangerous for Christians seeking a godly life.
What Is Humility?
We are commanded as Christians to be humble. But what is humility?
The Apostle Paul says that being humble is valuing others more than we value ourselves.
Philippians 2:3
doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
doing nothing through rivalry or through conceit, but in humility, each counting others better than himself; each of you not just looking to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.
It also helps to define humility by what it isn’t. It’s not pride, arrogance, or selfishness.
It all comes down to loving your neighbor (Mark 12:31).
How Does Humility Happen?
If we find being humble difficult at times, there’s a reason. Our ego, maybe Satan’s greatest tool against us, resists putting others first. It probably wouldn’t be wrong to say that humbling ourselves goes against our human nature.
Humbly serving God and our neighbor is not passive. It’s something we practice. By following God’s command of loving our neighbors … by putting our neighbors first … we put our ego in its place and live a more Christlike life.
To practice humility, we must first be a servant. Jesus was the perfect model for how to be a servant. He spent His days teaching, healing, comforting, and performing miracles.
Philippians 2:5-7
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
Have this in your mind, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, didn’t consider equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men.
Second, we shouldn’t have selfish motives. We must genuinely think of other’s needs. Jesus put God and others first – always. If we want to be more like Christ, shouldn’t we be doing the same?
Third, be obedient to God’s will, as Jesus was obedient even dying on the cross to redeem humanity (Philippians 2: 8).
Do you remember the pleasure you felt when – as a child – you saw your mother or father delight in something you did? Well imagine the pleasure you will receive when you experience God delighting in you!
Do you remember the pleasure you felt when – as a child – you saw your mother or father delight in something you did? Well imagine the pleasure you will receive when you experience God delighting in you!
Psalm 147:11
Yahweh takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his loving kindness.
Jesus has told us that our humble obedience to God will be rewarded.
Luke 18:14
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
With earthly eyes, people see humility as undesirable. But with God opening our spiritual eyes, we see that practicing humility brings us our greatest joys and rewards.
