BY Diana Stone
What comes to mind when we think of humility? Someone weak? A person who lets everyone run over them? An impossible state of being? What is true humility and what is simply putting yourself down in hopes someone else will tell you how wonderful you are?
When we think of humility as Christians, we know Jesus as the perfect example. What we may not think of are the reasons He was like He was. Absolutely, He had every right to be exalted by the world. Instead He choose to start out His story different from the moment it happened. Unwed mother. Stable birth. Fleeing from a king instead of a childhood home. Growing up always different. Put to death in the most cruel, humiliating way possible.
You may know all of this, it may have been told to you over and over with the ending of “because Jesus loved us so much.”
What strikes me is this: Jesus did this because His Heavenly Father asked Him to. He lived and died for the glory of God. Just like in growing up, His death wasn’t for accolades or attention. He didn’t die so we, as imperfect creations, could tell Him how amazing He was for the rest of eternity. It was for obedience, and in being obedient, He needed to humble himself to our level. He had to, what would this story hold for our hearts and minds if Jesus grew up in a castle with servants and died at 90 in a gold bathtub? And yet, He easily could have and instead chose to obey.
Yes, Jesus died for our sins and to set us free from the rules and regulations we are still so bound by. But this act was in complete obedience to what He was sent to earth to accomplish. When we think of how and why He died, our thoughts should be on how amazing it was He could follow the path set for Him to the very end, even while we turned our backs on Him and He had His heart break for us.
Jesus was the very definition of humble. He was able to say no when He needed, to put others first each time He could, to obey His father at the cost of His life, and to set aside His own ego to accomplish what no one else could ever do.
What a Savior. What an amazing example of perfect humility.
33 thoughts on "humility"
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“Because His Heavenly Father asked Him to…for the glory of God…in complete obedience…even while we turned our backs on Him and He had His heart break for us.” He knew every time we would hurt his heart, and HE DID IT ANYWAY! That’s my God!
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Today's devotional (Thank you, Autumn Dawn Leader), the scripture (so parallel) and the comments (really additional thought, prayer prevoking messages) have occupied the majority of my thoughts since early this morning. Every thought, action today has brought me to consider these. I have tried to act in synchrony with them.
Some of my life I have hidden behind a false humility..one that failed to elicit the praise and honor I craved. Before I accepted Christ, it was my persona, but even years later I can bring it on, if I am not careful. The Holy Spirit often brings the Philippians' passage to mind..I memorized it several years ago and it really helps center me and helps me evaluate my motives.
"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:" (Philippians 2:5 NIV)
Mindset, attitude, purpose like Jesus not secular, self-seeking, or self-effacing.
Humility like sacrifice isn't like Jesus if I think I am humble…"patting myself on the back kinda humble" Nor is it letting myself be used or abused, in some distorted act of obedience to God. He may very well take me to this place for the Gospel's sake, but Jesus battered and bruised on the cross, obedient to the Father still commanded respect from soldiers, thieves, and others.
"Who though he existed in the form of God did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave, by looking like other men, and by sharing in human nature". (Philippians 2:6, 7 NET)
These two verses keep me in check in situations at work or home where I feel EQUAL, but think I am not being treated that way. Jesus was(is) an equal person in the Trinity, but He chose to be obedient to the Father.
His example always ( well, except when I am being Carolyn centered) gets me on track: 1. Don't grasp equality and shake it in the face of another. 2. Get over myself 3. Be of service 4. Listen, learn, put myself in the other person's place…seek to understand rather than demand being heard or regarded.
You have all been a blessing to me today. I love being a part of such wonderful group.
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