Knowing God through His Word — Part 17
Humility
I once heard that humility is the perfume of a rose when it is stepped on. I like that, but I’m no rose. I’ve been known to squeal when stepped on. So, I seek humility. According to the Bible, humility is a vital for Christians. All God’s trusted friends and servants, all who do His exploits, are humble.
Jesus first beatitude is
Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 5:3
So when we pray,
Our Father, who are in Heaven, hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Matthew 6:9-10
we know that humility is needed for His Kingdom to come and His will to be done.
I’ve been asking God for humility for years. Three decades ago, when I lived in a small, humble rather shabby third floor walk-up government subsidized housing unit, I felt the need so greatly that I scotch taped little bits of paper with the message, “I am no big deal” all over the tiny apartment— on my bathroom mirror, refrigerator and telephone. Today, in a large kitchen that’s far from shabby, I keep one of those old bits of paper, a yellowed wrinkled scrap, pinned to the bulletin board above my kitchen desk. Every time I get frustrated with automated phone calls, upset about political contentiousness, or climb on an opinionated high horse, I’m confronted with my continuing need for humility.
Humility is not easy, pretty or understood, and I’m not even sure I’ll know if or when I’ve got it, but here are a few attributes I’ve come up so far.
The humble are not proud or arrogant, they know they’re no big deal. They never dream of being the whole cheese; they are not stuck on themselves or their own accomplishments; they don’t think they are more worthy, valuable or important than others. They’re not boastful or full of themselves.
Humble men and women are teachable and open to criticism or correction; they are quick to admit their faults and confess their sins. They take responsibility for them selves and don’t play blame games; they don’t expect to be appreciated, exalted or honored and when they are despised and rejected, they won’t retaliate or seek vengeance. They aren’t ruffled by unjust or unfair treatment. Betrayals and false accusations don’t throw a truly humble person out off course; they can turn the other cheek, return kindness and forgive their enemies.
I’ve read that the truly humble usually don’t recognize that they are humble; they’re too busy living. Recalling the humble people I’ve known, their days are filled with ordinary tasks— paying bills on time, cooking meals, mowing lawns and shoveling snow, tending to children and animals, telling jokes, listening to their friends and keeping social engagements. All of them are faithful and consistently good workers —a few God has called to Christian service, others are homemakers, most work for others. All of them serve God all of the time.
God chooses the humble. He reveals Himself to the humble.
He choose Moses who
was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth. Numbers 12:3
He choose Gideon who said,
Please Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house. Judges 6:15
He choose David, who asked,
Who am I? and what is my life, or my father’s family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king? 1 Samuel 18:18
And above all He favored His own Son, Jesus,
though he was in the form of God, He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8
God values humility so much that He intentionally teaches it and tests His children for it. Moses reminded the children of Israel to
remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you.
Deuteronomy 8:2
The value of humility is repeated in the Psalms,
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way.
and in the Book of Proverbs
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility. Proverbs 15:33
Isaiah spoke for God’s when he wrote,
For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit. Isaiah 57:15
Jesus not only taught humility as a kingdom principle by telling that the Kingdom of Heaven belonged to the poor is spirit, he also said,
Whoever humbles himself like this child is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4
Paul pointed out Jesus’ humility,
. . .you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9
and he urged believers to
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Colossians 3:12
Jesus’ brother James also pointed out the favor God extends to the humble,
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. James 4:6
Peter told believers to be humble,
Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that at the proper time he may exalt you 1Peter 5:6
So did James,
Humble your self in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up. James 4:10
May we see that God is ever present in our lives and humble ourselves before him.
