Have You Experienced the Positive Power of Humility?
Good Morning Friends,
On the heels of having written a devotional on the connection in Christ with our strengths and weaknesses, I found it providential that humility was the stated topic at the New Canaan Society meeting yesterday. The two topics are linked. And it reminded me of when several years ago a friend of mine was contemplating the positive aspects of humility. He had a brief discussion with one of his other friends regarding humility, contending that there are many aspects of humility that are positive. Anyway this friend of his expressed doubts about the benefits of humility, claiming instead that humility was a weakness. The interesting thing here is that the situation poses an interesting dilemma for them. You see the problem is not about being right or wrong regarding the position, but honest about one’s own agenda and the value of the relationship. The challenge is about being the right answer. There is a difference. One requires us to grow and the other demonstrates a domination to remain unchanged. To always have to be “right,” curses us to miss the bigger picture of what is really important. Some think it is imperative to win the argument, but the more mature position is to use the discussion to find ways of growing the relationship into something of greater value. The answer to the problem will become evident in the process, for it is here where the surprising nature of humility turns everything inside out and opens up a possibility of a conversation about what is truly important. The question therefore becomes, who is strong enough to go the distance in the relationship, avoiding the pitfalls of pride. Seeing through this dilemma is the nature of humility. Here humility is not a sign of weakness but a sign of wisdom and a sign of strength. Humility is a state of mind that makes us more grace filled and patient. It is a gateway to peace that it molds the soul to face the trials of live.
The point is not to just know it but to live in it. Have You Experienced the Positive Power of Humility?
Scripture: Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.
Genesis 2:7 (NRSV)
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Matthew 23:12 (ESV)
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:3 (NIV)
If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NRSV)
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
Psalms 25:9 (NRSV) Top of FormBottom of Form
Imitating Christ’s Humility
If then there is any encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. Let the same mind be in you that was* in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death— even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:1-13 (NRSV)
In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you must clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5 (NRSV)
Message: You probably remember the best-selling management book, Good to Great. The CEOs of companies that transitioned to “greatness” were leaders who combined competitive drive with humility. Now research is taking this anecdotal evidence and backing it up. While some misunderstand humility as low self-esteem or self-denigration, a proper conception of this virtue has both self-regarding and other-regarding components. Picture Jesus washing the feet of his disciples in the upper room. Even they did not fully understand. There is much to learn here related to growing emotionally that is less about thinking the right thing and more about feeling the right thing. It is really not all that surprising that some philosophers have not been impressed with humility. Aristotle leaves it out of his catalogue of virtues, while both David Hume and Friedrich Nietzsche are critical of this trait. The problem is that the overabundance of pride has turned humility into a resource of such great scarcity that few realize what it really is. I think people often misinterpret the essence of humility because it is difficult to describe, seldom seen and rarely valued when it is. On the intrapersonal level, humility involves an accurate view of the self. On the interpersonal level, humility involves a stance that is other-oriented rather than self-focused. Scripture resonates with this indicating that the conscience of the prideful needs cleaning in the conviction and awareness of the reality of how God sees us and how we are to see God. The first beatitude, “Blessed are the poor in spirit” is first for a reason. We cannot be filled up with the experience of God until we have been emptied. Here head knowledge is not enough. We have to feel the reality of God and His promise of love in our lives. Then, when we are humble enough to love those He loves, we discover the power of getting to know God. Humility is something that is gained and practiced as we grow in wisdom and grace. Eugene Peterson gives us this insight: “The Latin words humus, soil/earth, and homo, human being, have a common derivation, from which we also get our word ‘humble.’ This is the Genesis origin of who we are: dust – dust that the Lord God used to make us a human being. If we cultivate a lively sense of our origin and nurture a sense of continuity with it, who knows, we may also acquire humility.” Friends, the Lord not only expects humility from us but sometimes causes it so we might experience the power of meekness. We come from dust and return to dust. What God does in between is to humble us and also empower us.
Pray we not take ourselves too seriously. Pray we are not full of ourselves. Pray we are genuinely interested in others. Pray we live thoughtfully and kindly. Pray we believe that God knows what we need. Pray that when we stoop down we discover God’s good gifts. Pray that we have a humility that leads to obedience. Pray we believe that Jesus will respond when He hears the cry of humility. Pray that we realize that without humility we are unable to learn. Pray we are patient under pressure. Pray that we demonstrate the opposite of pride. Pray we realize that the most important person in the world is not us. Pray we develop a sense of value for humility. Pray we acknowledge the worth of others with humility in our own spiritual maturity. Pray we discover the joy, fellowship and unmerited grace in humility.
Pray we recognize the danger of pride and the value of humility in prompting a response from others that honors God. Pray we realize that in God’s Kingdom the powerful serve.
Blessings,
John Lawson
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