Life has a way of keeping us humble, if we will listen. Paul teaches us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 that loving hearts make a habit of showing true humility, not just toward people we like, toward people who agree with us, but toward our enemies, people we don’t like, people who disagree with us.
Humility means being quiet about yourself. In Proverbs 27:2, the wiseman says, “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.”
Giving is a good thing. But if we do a good thing with impure motives, it will backfire on us if only in the eyes of God (Matt. 6:2-4).
Secondly, humility is “not looking down” on others: Philippians 2:3-4.
Humility means letting others shine their light. Paul wrote that Christianity is “rejoicing when others rejoice” (Rom. 12:15).
I am not indispensable. To anyone. Only Christ is indispensable to everyone. I am not. In every role I have, I can be replaced by someone else and it is just as likely that the next person is better than I am as it is the next person is worse than I am.
The Bible teaches that pride is a sin: Proverbs 8:13; 16:5; 21:4; 2 Timothy 3:2; 1 John 2:16.
The world looks down on humility. But God exalts it as one of the most important of all virtues He expects from us. God does not take pride lightly.
Humility – thinking soberly about ourselves, putting the other person’s needs and opinions before our own – is God’s plan for greatness: 1 Peter 5:5-6; James 4:10.
Bow your heart to those around you, and to God, every day.
Paul Holland
