Christians should definitely be humble people. God’s Word addresses the need for Christians to be humble in several places. If we are truly followers of Jesus Christ, then we must be humble before God and man. God requires humility of us as He has stated in His Word.
“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Christ is the Christian’s greatest example of humility.
The Bible says, Christ “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death.” Here’s the context: “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. 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” (Philippians 2:3-8).
The key is, “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.”
No believer in Christ should serve his own ego, even if the temptation is present. The Christian’s main purpose in life is to always represent Jesus Christ in an ungodly world.
C. S. Lewis said this about humility, which is noteworthy. “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”
The dictionary defines humility as “a modest or low view of one’s own importance;
humbleness.”
Humility has a spiritual application, especially in view of the humility of Jesus Christ in what He said and did during His earthly life and ministry. Christ was gracious, compassionate, understanding, selfless, gentle, and concerned with the needs of others.
Here is a display of the compassion, and concern of Christ. At the feeding of the five thousand, the disciples exhibited no compassion or understanding toward the crowd that were in a desolate place and without food. The disciples told the Lord, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over, send the crowds away, to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” Here is Christ’s response: “But Jesus said “They need not go away; you give them something to eat” (Matthew 14:15,16).
Christ ordered the crowd to sit down and subsequently provided food for them in contrast to His disciples’ lack of concern and negative attitude.
The apostle Paul cautions Christians: “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned” (Romans 12:3).
When Christ was facing crucifixion for the sins of mankind, He prayed, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Obviously, “this cup” was a reference to His death on the Cross.
The shame and disgrace of a criminal cross did not prevent Christ from being crucified. Indeed, His humility enabled Him to be nailed thereon in order to shed His life’s blood to reconcile sinful to a holy God. He despised the shame by becoming obedient to the point of death for you and me.
Consider His words, “not as I will, but as you will.” This is complete submission to God, and God’s will, in pure and perfect humility.
The Lord also said: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve. (Mark 10:45). Let’s follow our Savior’s example to serve others. It seems obvious in the text, that it was always the Lord’s intent not to be served but to serve us.
Christ sternly condemned the scribes and Pharisees for their lack of humility by their shameful boasting about their works to be seen by others, and their love for the place of honor, the best seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the marketplaces. Jesus gave them this warning, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12).
Let the mind of Christ be active in us so that we will continue to represent Him and allow His Word to have a lingering effect in our lives. For His name sake. Amen.