Articles
Humility
Humility. It is one of those words that's hard to define, but you know it when you see it. You not only see it, you sense it. The best description I have found of humility is what is said of King Saul, “When he was little in his own eyes.” (1 Samuel 15:17, NKJV) It was when his vision changed that his problems began. Humility is knowing who I am in relation to God. It is knowing who I am in relation to others.
In God’s eyes there are no big people. We make people bigger than they are. It is not out of malevolence. There are many reasons we do that. One is our love, respect, and appreciation of others. There is something we admire in others that causes us to so elevate them. The challenge is when you are the one being elevated to remain little in your own eyes. One has said, “No one is as good as what others say and no one is as bad as what others say.” I know some really ‘big” people. But one characteristic of all of them is they do not look at themselves as “big.” That is my view of them. All see themselves little in their own eyes.
Humility enables us to serve others. It enables us to bow to the needs of another. Humility enables us to see the value of others more than the value of ourselves. That does not mean we think we are of no value. The truth is we are worth all the world to the Father. But if I am worthy, then so are you. Therefore I bow to serve you. Jesus came to serve, not to be served. Amazing! Here is the Creator who comes to bow and wash the dirt He created from the man He created. When we remain little in our own eyes, coming in first does not matter. Getting the attention is of no consequence.
The ultimate picture of humility is when Jesus thought it not robbery to lay aside the form of Deity to take the form of a servant (Phil. 2:6-11). The servant was the lowest rung on the ladder. He willingly laid aside the glory of heaven and took on the form of the lowest on earth. He gave Himself for our good. He offered Himself, enduring the shame we deserved. He allowed Himself to be abused by those He was dying for when He could have resisted. When threatened, He did not respond in kind. When reviled and spat upon He did not respond in kind (1 Peter 2:21-23). Why? Why? Because He loved me so!! His love for us moved Him to bow, humbly, for us.
Will we do for others what He did for us? Will we stay little in our own eyes? Humility solves so many problems. Jesus sought our good over His own. Lay aside yourself to humbly serve another.
One warning: don’t become proud of your humility!
Rickie
