Last Wednesday we had a great discussion about humility in our men's class. What is being humble?
Confucius said (yes I am quoting Confucius), Humility is making a right estimate of yourself. Knowing who you are.
I would amend that just a little bit. Humility is knowing who you are in Jesus Christ.
In Jesus Christ I am somebody. God takes my life, changes it, and restores to me not only a right relationship with God, but a right relationship with myself.
When I see me, as God sees me, I have no reason at all to live with a consistent feeling of inferiority. I've learned over the years that feelings of inferiority is just inverted pride.
One time in Matthew 16, the disciples were talking about who Jesus was. Jesus said, who do you think I am? They replied, "some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."
But what about you, Jesus asked, who do YOU say I am?
Peter says, "you are the Christ the son of the living God."
And Jesus responds, "Yeah, you're right". (my paraphrase)
Jesus knew who he was in God, yet he humbled himself and endured the cross.
Peter writes, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." I Peter 5
We can be humble and confident today.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
This is exactly what our small group with junior high girls discussed last Friday. Learning to be confident in who we are in Christ, while remaining humble (modest and meek) and obedient to the Lord. The Lord does not expect us to be walked on and rude when we others attack us, but to remain confident that the work the Lord is doing in us is to help create a character that is Christ like. I love what I heard at a conference over the weekend, “Lord, breath your character in us.” That is my prayer as well as my prayer for these junior high girls – that we will take on the character of Christ – “being humble and confident.”
Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble.
When your perfect in every way.
Each time I look in the mirror,
I …….I need help in a desperate way!
Like I’ve said a number of times, we are bought with a price. We are not our own. When we assume a true servant attitude, we shouldn’t have any problem with being humble. We can make our boast in the Lord and He will lift us up.
I try not to speak my opinion, but state the scriptural position of the Word of God on the matter. That’s why studying God’s Word is so important. It’s not what I think, but what the Word of God says, that’s my confidence.
We have to put our confidence in the Word of God. Living one’s life accord to the Word of God in itself is humbling. When someone asks you what you believe or why you do this or that or don’t do this or that, and you state, because the Word of God says so, watch out. Your going to get the LOOK or the STARE, like what did you say? The Word of What, of Who? And if they want an explanation of the statement you just made, what will you say? Are you confident to explain your position clearly and plainly? To have to justify yourself, to hold onto your beliefs, and feel that your lifestyle is under attack (which it is) is humbling. Someone is putting you on the spot for your faith. But the reward for standing firm and explaining the hope that you have, in Christ, is priceless and eternal. There are two books by DC Talk called Jesus Freaks, which tells of the modern day persecution and martyrdom of Christians around the world. These stories are eye opening and demonstrate what it means to be truly humble and to have confidence in Christ Jesus. They are worth the time to read. I recommend buying some boxes kleenx.
I try to use these stories from time to time as a reality check for my life and to bring me back down to earth where I belong.
Oh, Lord it’s hard to be humble, but it’s easier, because You are the Way.
http://anthropocentrism.blogspot.com/
Post a Comment