It's Hard To Be Humble...

“It’s hard to be humble when you’re as great as I am!” or so goes the somewhat humorous saying. It is a little funny because of the fact that it is hard for us to resist highlighting our successes, while desperately trying to hide our flaws and failures.

Humility isn’t about ignoring strengths while focusing on weaknesses, in fact it is the opposite. Humility recognizes personal abilities and uses them for the good of others. Pride insists on attention, credit, position over others. Humility sometimes looks like weakness and pride like strength, but that’s exactly backwards.

“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Ja 4:6)

Humility means we are open to our need for help, correction and grace. God can help someone like that. But God can’t help someone whose prideful heart feels (or hides) their need.

Christ’s humility was shown in His lowering Himself to come as a man to serve and die for the good of others (not Himself – Ph 2:5-11). We are challenged to do the same, to have this “mind” (Ph 2:5) when we look at and serve others. Pride looks out only for one’s own interests, but humility looks out for the needs and interests of others (Ph 2:3-4).

Our world caters to the prideful and selfish. They are often viewed as successful and talented. But Jesus taught: “But he who is greatest among you will be your servant. And whosoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:11-12). It is a radically different way of looking at people and life.

Remember, this is “humbleness of mind” (Co 3:12) – not just a few selfless or charitable actions. It begins by humbling ourselves “in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (Ja 4:10; 1 Pe 5:6). When we humble ourselves to God to accept what He wills and obey Him, then we’re ready to humble ourselves to others without fear of what may happen or what people will think. When we humble ourselves to God, the only thing that matters is what God thinks. That will change our hearts – what we think about God, what we think about ourselves, and what we think about others. And then, humility becomes a lot easier.  dd