True Humility
The Example of Jesus
Scripture emphasizes the humility of Jesus Christ. We're told in Philippians 2:8 that "though He existed in the form of God," Christ humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. Apart from His death, Jesus gave us an example of humility when He washed the discipIes' feet. In Jesus' day, washing feet was one of the lowliest tasks for the lowliest of servants, yet Jesus willingly did it for the disciples. What I find interesting is what is said about Jesus just before He washed their feet:
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself about. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. (John 13:3-5 NASB)
We're told that
Jesus did this
knowing three things. First, He knew that the Father had given Him
everything. Everything belonged to Him. He knew that He was Lord of
lords and King of kings. As He said in Matthew 28:18, "All
authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth." Second,
He knew that He had come from God. He was well aware of His origin.
He knew that He was not an ordinary man, but that He was the Son of
God. Third, He knew that He was going back to God. He knew His
destiny. He knew that He would be exalted to the highest place. He
knew that at His name every knee would bow and every tongue would
confess that He is Lord (Philippians 2:9-11).
Knowing these
things about Himself, Jesus humbled Himself and became a lowly
servant to His disciples, washing their feet. The point is that
humility does not mean denying who you are and what you can do.
Sometimes we think that humility means we must think and say that we
are no good, worthless, witless, talentless, hapless, hopeless,
good-for-nothing ne'er-do-wells. No, humility does not require this.
If anything, humility requires that we understand and admit who we
are and what strengths, talents and abilities we have. Why? Because
we will only serve others humbly if we know we have something to
give. If someone truly has nothing to give, we expect nothing from
them. If someone is in a coma, we do not expect them to serve anyone
in any way. If you know who you are and what you can do, then you can
willingly set aside your sense of self-importance (your pride) and
decide to humble yourself to serve others.
Pride is a funny
thing because it both keeps us from serving others and keeps us from
allowing others to serve us. It is that sense of self-importance and
self-sufficiency that says that I am too important to serve others in
simple ways and I am so self-reliant that I don't need the help of
others. This is the attitude God opposes in us (James 4:6).
Paul
points to the example of Christ in Philippians 2:5-8, "Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although
He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a
thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a
bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found
in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to
the point of death, even death on a cross."
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