Humility

I grew up with an ex-Marine, successful business-owning father, a brilliant, beautiful Southern-belle mother, a genius brother, and then, my strong-willed, debate-loving, salesman husband. I spent 30 years in corporate America becoming an independent, take-control, confident, assertive leader, and I was rewarded substantially. Is it any wonder then, that such words as humility, meekness, or submission sound foreign, or almost offensive, to me?

Therefore, questions like these always make me squirm:

• Why would anyone choose to go his or her own way (acting independently) without God, instead of walking with Him?
• Why would anyone choose the world instead of choosing to follow his or her Lord and Master (taking control)?
• Why would anyone live a life without thanking God daily for all He has provided (living in denial)?

Why would I choose to hinder God's influence in my life?

Simply put, because I was and I can be arrogant and prideful.

The word "arrogance" is defined by WordNet 2.0, 2003 Princeton University as "overbearing pride and lordliness". Guess what its antonyms are ... humility, meekness, and submission?

When I examined Christlike humility, I discovered these highpoints. According to Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary:

Humility is:

• a prominent Christian grace (Romans 12:3; 1 Peter 5:5b {my addition}; Romans 15:17-18; 2 Corinthians 3:5; Philippians 4:11-13)
• is a state of mind, well-pleasing to God; it preserves the soul in tranquility (1 Peter 3:4)
• makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22)
• is a trait Christ exemplified perfectly (Isaiah 53:1-10 {my addition}; Philippians 2:1-8 {my addition})

We should be led then by a remembrance of our sins, and by the thought that humility is a way to honor God. (Lamentations 3:39; Deuteronomy 8:2-3 {my addition}; Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 66:2; Isaiah 13:11; Romans 5:8).

Jesus was humble in behavior, attitude, and spirit; He was not arrogant or prideful in the least bit, ever. He showed deferential and submissive respect to His Father, even unto death on a cross.

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary says that humility is the "great paradox in Christianity that is the avenue to glory" (my emphasis).

Humility then, is a choice, my choice, and I need to make this purposeful decision on a moment by moment basis. Choosing to submit myself to God's will, choosing to rank myself below others reduces my propensity toward a prideful existence. Having a modest opinion of myself and choosing to behave in an unassuming manner, devoid of all haughtiness, honors God. Humility is a true confession of my spiritual unworthiness and leads me to praising God!

The following verses encourage me to seek a life-attitude of meekness:

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10

"You save the humble but bring low those whose eyes are haughty." Psalm 18:27

"But He gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:

'God opposes the proud

but gives grace to the humble.'

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded." James 4:6-8

Commentator Matthew Henry teaches us to resist pride in our hearts, if we do not want God to resist us. God gives honor and help to the humble; He gives grace as opposed to disgrace.

Henry reminds us to submit ourselves entirely to God, just as James teaches in chapter 4. As Christians, we should forsake the friendship of this world and guard against the prevailing envy and pride in natural men. By grace we must learn to glory and celebrate in our submissions to God.

Dear Heavenly Father, bring my rebellious heart to your feet, so I may not be estranged from you, not even for a minute. Teach me and enable me to draw nigh to you. Oh, that I may come to you with a clean heart, with holy hands lifted high! Oh, that I may choose daily to set aside my pride, my arrogance, my haughtiness, and my worldliness, so I may no longer cringe when I hear the word "humility." Amen!

You may want to continue worshiping the Lord by praying this Prayer of Humility. (This prayer was shared with me without authorship. If you identify the author, I will add that reference.)

You may add what is appropriate for yourselves:

Hear me, O Jesus, meek and humble of heart. Please deliver me from:

The desire of being esteemed,

The desire of being extolled,

The deisre of being honored,

The desire of being praised,

The desire of being first among others,

The desire of being consulted,

The desire of being approved,

The fear of being humiliated,

The fear of being despised,

The fear of suffering human rebukes,

The fear of being forgotten,

The fear of being ridiculed,

The fear of being wronged,

Jesus, please grant me the grace to desire:

That others may be loved more than I,

That others may be esteemed more than I,

That, in the opinion of the world, others may increase and I may decrease,

That others may be chosen and I set aside,

That others may be praised and I go unnoticed,

That others may be preferred to me in everything,

That others may become holier than I, provided that I may become as holy as I should.

Amen.