Humility: It’s Kind of a Big Deal – From the Ashes, part 2
What does it look like to be humble, and why should we care? This week, we embrace humility.
What are the three attributes we should model? How do we cultivate humility in our own lives? Who should we use an example to follow?
Feeling empty, burned-out, or overwhelmed? Each week this month, we'll look at an aspect of Jesus' life and ministry, where we'll find hope and forgiveness to overcome our struggles.
Does your life sometimes feel like a pile of ashes? The good news of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection means you can experience new life and have your life raised from the ashes. This series will help you grow in faith and understanding of Christ.
Embrace Humility
about this series
Today we continue our Easter series. Our lives, no matter how bad, are not irredeemable. In other words, you are not broken beyond repair. In and through Christ, you can rise above the ashes and experience abundant life. This series is for anyone who wants to grow in the knowledge and understanding of Christ.
Are we as Humble as we think?
As we look forward to Easter, we find Jesus demonstrated humility by coming to earth and washing the feet of His disciples. When we choose to exercise humility, that is when we look most like Christ to the world and those around us. The following tale illustrates humility well.
Once upon a time a rider came across a few soldiers who were trying to move a heavy log of wood without success. The corporal was standing by just watching as the men struggled. The rider couldn’t believe it. He finally asked the corporal why he wasn’t helping.
The corporal replied: “I am the corporal. I give the orders.”
The rider said nothing in response. Instead, he dismounted his horse. He went up and stood by the soldiers and as they tried to lift the wood. The rider joined in and helped the soldiers move the log.
With the rider’s help, the task was finally carried out.
Who was this rider?
The rider was none other than the general, who outranked everyone including the corporal.
This story is an example of humility that invites our admiration of the general and our disdain for the arrogant corporal. A story like this does not need any explanation because we all understand what’s going on.
We know because there are times in each of our lives when we have acted more like the corporal than we would care to admit. Oh, we want to be humble, we want to be helpful, and to think of others more than we think of ourselves. But all too often we just turn the other way. We might think we are too important, or we may simply think more highly of ourselves than we should.
The truth is, if we are honest with ourselves, we probably think in our minds that we are humbler than we act in real life.
Today let us consider Christ’s example of humility. Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, the Son of God, the savior of the world, yet He humbled himself and conquered death so that we might experience abundant life. What a King; what a Savior!
Jesus Set the Example of humility for us all
As admirable of an example the general set for us in the story I just shared, the reality is that we have an even greater example of humility in Christ Jesus.
What does it look like to be humble and serve others?
Be willing to do a job that you don’t have to do, but you see the need and you do it willingly.
Allow someone to move ahead of you in line when you see they are in a hurry.
Help in a way that others might think is below your status in the office or life such as serve tables, clean toilets, mop floors, or take out the garbage.
Selflessly give of yourself and what you have to others.
A definition for humility might be someone having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s own importance. To not be too proud or haughty to do something others might think is beneath them.
“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:3-5, NIV).
Paul’s encouragement for believers is to be like Christ. For our attitudes to be like Jesus; our actions to mirror Jesus. You might think, “That’s easier said than done,” and you would be right, you’re talking about the very son of God!
However, Paul goes on to list the attitudes and actions we should model:
“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-8).
3 Attributes We Should Model
Paul identifies some specifics we see in Jesus that I believe we can all get on board with.
1. Don’t take advantage of your position.
To say it another way: don’t lord yourself over others. Most of us are leaders in some area of our lives, or we were—or will be—at some point in our lives.
We all have opportunities to take advantage of others, but Paul is reminding us here that Jesus had all the power and opportunity in the universe to use His position to His advantage, and Jesus chose to lay it all aside.
2. Serve others.
When Christ laid aside His royal position He chose instead to become a servant. Throughout Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jesus gave himself to the needs of others.
3. Give your life away.
Jesus’ humility led Him ultimately to the cross. We are all familiar with Jesus’ story, but what about your story?
Are you holding on too tightly to all the things you want; your kingdom, your things, your dreams and aspirations? What do you need to let go of? Where, or who can you give your life to this coming week? A neighbor; a coworker; a family member; someone who is in need? How about volunteering in the community, school, at a pregnancy center or the church.
Humility isn’t as much a destination to be reached as it is an attitude to be embraced.
It is an important attitude, posture, and way of the Christian’s life towards others and towards God.
Humility is a big deal. It may be odd to say that humility is kind of a big deal. Can you even imagine humility, boasting about itself or pointing to it’s own jersey number like we see athletes do whenever they make a big play? Wouldn’t it seem silly if humility danced around the boxing ring like Muhammed Ali, screaming, “I’m the greatest! I’m the greatest!” Of course it would be silly.
The same is true for the believer in Christ. Joking aside, humility is a big deal as evidenced in the life of Christ. In a number of different places the Bible encourages humility and gives warning to the destructive nature of pride.
We do not have time today to go through an exhaustive list, but I’ll touch on some highlights and encourage you to set aside some time to consider humility in your own life.
We have already considered the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Philippians regarding humility. Here is what Peter says about humility:
‘In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time’ (1 Peter 5:5-6).
And James quotes the same Old Testament passage that Peter does when he says “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (James 4:6). Both Peter and James are church leaders and they are encouraging humility. Both of them quote the same passage from Proverbs 3:34.
Obviously, no one wants God opposing them.
And if we are to be conformed into the image of Christ, we should promote and display humility and selflessness in our lives for all the world to see.
Let’s take it a step further with this:
“Though the Lord is exalted, he looks kindly on the lowly; though lofty, he sees them from afar” (Psalm 138:6, NIV).
The New Living Translation clarifies:
“Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble, but he keeps his distance from the proud” (Psalm 138:6, NLT).
God’s opposition is towards one thing: pride. And it’s horrible.
The idea in Psalm 138 is that God distances himself from the prideful person, and that should be terrifying to you. Pride and arrogance are incompatible with humility, which means that these attitudes are far from Jesus. Pride and arrogance are heart positions and postures that will keep you at a distance from the righteousness of Christ. Pride can, and will, destroy you.
Pride is a big enough deal that the bible addresses it again:
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2, NIV).
And again:
“Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. 19 Better to be lowly in spirit along with the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud” (Proverbs 16:18-19).
Jesus humbled Himself, And we should too
Being conformed into the image of Christ is learning to be a servant and humble in spirit, such as when Jesus washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-17). He said that we should “wash one another’s feet”—in other words, serve one another—as he had done for them as an example; that those who do this will be blessed (John 13:14-15).
Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, got down on his knees, filled up a basin of water and washed the feet of his disciples. The washing of feet was an incredibly lowly act of service. A persons feet were considered to be the dirtiest, most unclean part of the body at the time. What an example Jesus set for all of us.
Jesus wanted the disciples to know just how much He loved them. So He took the position of a simple house servant and washed their dirty feet clean. He did this to show that no one is too important to serve another. He did this to show His love and care for the disciples and for us.
Jesus’ example in John 13 is recorded for us to see and know the heart and character of our Savior.
As we draw closer to Easter and we recognize the fact that Jesus humbled himself to be born and later to be crucified, so that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord is saved, was an act of love and humility.
Who can we serve this week? Today and over the next week let’s ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any areas in our lives where we might need to confess pride. Let’s ask the Lord to help us to display humility and live a life of humility and faith for all to see.
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