Let’s see today what the Bible says about humility. It is a modest or low view of one’s own importance. I know that is difficult for a lot of people to accept because there are a lot of people who think they are the cat’s meow! (Boy, that dated me didn’t it?) 1Peter 5:5 NLT says, 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Being humble is an essential part of the life of a Christian. You want to be right with God then you need to be humble and never proud. Resist the urge to think that you somehow are more important than anyone else…because you are not. Oh, you might be rich, famous, a great athlete, singer, business owner, or whatever but your life and you are not more important than anyone else. We all have value with God and God doesn’t have favorites or grandkids!
Jesus, again, is our example for everything in life. He is God! He didn’t go around thinking or telling people that they weren’t as important as He was/is. He was always doing right no matter what He saw, where He went, or how others acted.
Jesus lived a humble life. Oh, He could have been born in a mansion or whatever the most important place was in those days, He could have been born rich, wore great clothes so others would think He was important. Yet, He came into this world poor, in a manager, and lived a life of humility. He chose to come to earth as a very humble person so He could be like most of us. 1 Peter 5;5 tells us to be clothed in humility.
Many people pride themselves in their status in life, their wealth, heir abilities, their so-called high position, and even some pastors in church who seem to want people to think so highly of them…instead of pointing the people to Jesus and the very reason for the church. No one is more important than Jesus, no one should be worshipped but God. Many claims to be God’s children yet act more like anything but that. This is a sin and needs to stop because it impairs and weakens not only the church but all within the church that goes along with it as well. Will the church go along with this sin? When pride is in a church, for whatever reason, what it does is misrepresents the Lord.
If the church you are in does not point all to Jesus and living as Jesus did, and if the church thinks that the pastor and others are living a life that would not be what God wants them to live (rich, famous, prideful, and with all the toys of this world) it needs to stop. The pastor works for God and needs to teach the truth of God’s word and stop teaching anything to the people that God disapproves of.
Humility is a great virtue we all need in our life. Our Lord, left the glories of heaven and the continual praise of the angels to be born in this sin infested world and He did this because He loves us. Humility should be easy for us but for many it is very difficult to do. Why? Because they like the sin they live in and they don’t want to change what they do, say, think, or how they act.
We look around at the world and see such evil out there that we absolutely know that all those doing evil are not living in humility instead of taking the example of Jesus they use the examples of the evil in the world and choose that lifestyle. We are nothing but dirt, but we somehow think we are gold. The only thing we can be good in our life as a Christian is that Jesus is our Lord and we make the choice to follow and do as He says.
God gives us our very life so why are most of the world so ungrateful? When we are living a humble life in the explanation of Jesus then we will look to Him and stop looking to ourselves and others. Our God looks at us with love and even pity and we somehow look at ourselves as if there is something to be proud of. If anything in us loves God, and lives as God said, then we will be living for Him and not looking into some mirror or how others see us, because in the end people, it is God’s view of us that matters.
Also know this: Humiliation is not humility. Humiliation is what another does to you against your will. Humility is what we do to ourselves. We humble ourselves because we choose to do the right thing in the sight of God. The opposite of humility is humiliation. Think about that one.
Don’t go around telling others how important and great you are…because no matter how rich or famous, or talented you are…you are nothing more than anyone else. When you start thinking you are important you become prideful and that God hates. Don’t do it.
Everyday check your humility and put it on. Put it on in all sincerity because just a little pride popping in can destroy all of your humility. Matthew 18:3 NLT says: Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. (Well, little children are a lot more humble)
We all know about all the problems in America and around the world. We can go around blaming everyone else for that is the easy thing to do. However, there is more to it than that. Most times Christians refuse to humble themselves and we cause a lot of our own problems in life, and in government as well. We must stand up for the truth of God’s word. Oh, they might not listen but we can still stand on God’s word and do our part. These verses are very important and you need to embed it on your brain because we do a lot of things that mess things up for ourselves. 2 Chron 7:13-14 NLT says, “13 At times I might shut up the heavens so that no rain falls, or command grasshoppers to devour your crops, or send plagues among you. 14 Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land.” Are we praying? Are we seeking? Are we humbling ourself? We should be.
Humbler yourself by getting into the word of God
Humble yourself by prayer, praise, and seeking God with all your heart
Do what God says to do and stop making excuses
Repent when convicted of sin…that means you change!
The difference between confidence and arrogance is humility. Some people think they should “toot” their own horn. Oh, they might say they didn’t mean to, but I really think they did. They want you to think more highly of them for what they have or what they do. There’s a difference between confidence and arrogance. That dividing line is indeed humility. Confidence says, “I have skills and I recognize them.” Arrogance says, “I have skills and others must recognize them.” Listen up: Humility changes the view we have of ourselves, but arrogance doesn’t. Don’t go around exalting yourself…only exalt God.
Think a moment about social media for instance. Whom do people write about? Do they go around taking pictures constantly of themselves? Why? What about when you fill out a resume? Do you tell about yourself in a good way, or try to make yourself seem to be more, did more…than you should?
The word humility appears numerous times throughout the Bible. When we read about humility, we see that this attribute is something God desires for His people. Humility is beneficial for us, for God, and for those around us.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3)
“He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” (Psalm 25:9)
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
In the Bible, arrogance is also a sign that someone lacks humility. A haughty spirit precedes a fall (Proverbs 16:18)l Haughty is another word for arrogant. Or consider that Jesus made Himself low in rank within society. This is apparent through His ministry, how he taught His disciples to serve one another as He served them. He told them that the greatest of them would be the lowest (Mark 9:35).
Jesus also taught us how to be lowly in nature so that we could forgive those who persecute us. He taught us how to rebuke and move on from offenses (Luke 17:3). Offering forgiveness to someone is not a sign of inferiority. God forgives us, but He isn’t inferior. Being humble never makes us inferior.
Example regarding David in the Bible: “But I have trusted in your faithful love; my heart will rejoice in your deliverance. I will sing to the Lord because he has treated me generously.” (Psalm 13:5-6) David is seeking the Lord’s guidance in this emotional-wrought chapter. He acknowledges his own powerlessness by asking hard questions of God. He doesn’t have the answers, but he knows God does. Furthermore, he is confident God will answer his prayers. These verses follow an emotionally-charged text, but in these last lines, we see someone confident in the Lord. David is presenting himself to God as someone who is low in rank, someone who is not exalting himself above others.
Jesus in the Bible: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me—nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Jesus lived a life of humility, maintaining a low rank in society. He lived as a servant, a carpenter by trade. In His ministry, he urged followers to live as He did. One key lesson was following God. In this verse from Luke, we see a submission to God’s will. This is a reminder that though we may desire one thing. God could have other
Without humility, we cannot expect deliverance from the Lord. Without humility, we won’t lead lives that put other people before our own wants and needs. Being a Christian does not mean our own wants and needs are unimportant, but being Christian does mean we have an obligation to follow God. We live not to serve ourselves but to serve Him, and serve other people according to His wishes.
We all mess up in life many times over. But we all need to be humble and lead a humble life. This doesn’t mean we don’t do things or live right and good. We just don’t go around rubbing it in what we do have. Why do we feel like we should? Why do we have the feeling that somehow we are more important than another who has less? It is wrong…and it is sin. Now is the time to search yourself and see if you have been living humbly or not. If you have wonderful, but if you haven’t stop, pray, and change.
Now may the God of heaven bless you, draw you to Him, teach you, give you strength for whatever in this world you will face. May He give you wisdom and knowledge, and joy in your spirit. May God give you His peace.
God bless you!