Do you remember the old song, “O Lord it’s hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way?”
Hopefully you have been humble lately, but I hope you haven’t told people what you have done.
Maybe you ooze humility and it comes naturally to you, but I’ve been challenged lately with this godly character quality. Don’t we love to see Humility displayed by someone who never expects to get anything in return, but just serves and blesses another without any expectation of gratitude.
I hope you have a friend like this as I do and I absolutely love watching them serve and shine for God. So selfless, so sacrificial, so giving! I feel so loved and cared for when they are around.
Through the “A BIGYEAR” APP, our small group considered a month of Humility. In my observations, I saw so much more than I had recently of the tireless love and unconditional care of my wife, little things my son offered to do to serve and so many people making a difference in my immediate circle of friends. In fact, I even noticed that husbands did a lot of things that people often never noticed that were laced in humility. It’s hard to quantify Humility though isn’t it? True humility never seeks an applause, expects a pat on the back or wants to be noticed, it just happens and things get done for the betterment of another.
Jesus lifestyle personified Humility! In Philippians 2:5-8 it says “Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.”
The verses prior to this amazing passage of truth encourages us to be the same as Jesus. Philippians 2:1 says, “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
In creating better homes and families, may we take time to consider this week the ways in which your children, partner, family members or even relatives live in humility. I actually think it is taken for granted and we need to stop and appreciate each family member’s contribution.
It would be even better to examine yourself, live out this quality and take time to impact those around you by serving another just to bless them without wanting anything in return. If you don’t get noticed, then that’s a bonus because God see’ s it all. May we live for an audience of One and make Him smile.
The effects on others are worth it and your home lives and workplaces will improve greatly. Someone may even sing this song about you and you can proceed to give God the glory because He has shown us how to live his totally sacrificial life.
God bless you today.
Rob Wolsley, Pastor