A look at Humility

We live in a "have it your way", "because your worth it"culture. The  media is constantly telling everyone to put their own desires and dreams above everyone else and do whatever it takes to make yourself happy no matter who gets hurt in the process. 

As christians we are to lay aside our wants and desires for the sake of others. 

We are to look to Christ as our ultimate example in laying it all down for the sake of another. 

Lets take a look at what Philippians says about humility

Philippians 2:1-4 ESV

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being 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 count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

How would this look like in our churches?  In our marriages? 

We would be willing serve each other as Christ served us.

We would be willing to forgive each other as Christ has forgiven us.

We would be willing to love each other as Christ has loved us.

Philippians 2:5-11 ESV

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Christ is the ultimate example in humility.  No matter what anyone does to us, we will never have an excuse to not forgive them, to not count them 'more significant than yourselves' for we were once enemies of Christ yet he died for us (rom 5:8) How can we except his humility toward us and not show it to others.

In the words of Spurgeon

"Jesus has borne the death penalty on our behalf. Behold the wonder! There He hangs upon the cross! This is the greatest sight you will ever see. Son of God and Son of Man, there he hangs,  bearing pains unutterable, the just for the unjust, to bring us to God.  Oh, the glory of that sight! The innocent punished!  The Holy One condemned!  The ever-blessed made a curse! The infinitely glorious put to a shameful death!"

As we strive to live out Philippians 2:1-4 we have to remember to do it "without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain."(phil 2:14-16)

Christ did not complain when he was innocently beaten, whipped, and crucified in our place. He was always about the Fathers business no matter what happened to him.

We can never exercise humility on our own, we need Christ to lead and guide us "for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."(phil 2:13)

Let us pray that God shows us how to lower ourselves for the sake of others.

Thank you Lord for showing us what it means to be humble. You are our ultimate example. We look to you when we don't know how to put others before ourself.  We look to you when we struggle to love and forgive when we have been wronged. Thank you for humbling yourself to the point of death because i wronged you. You could have left me on the road to hell, but you emptied yourself to provide salvation. Help me to remember this beautiful truth when I struggle to show humility to others.

 In Jesus name I pray, Amen