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September 10, 2017 |
| Humble | ||
The word "humble" is a difficult word to define. When we try to define it we often define it in terms of what it is not as we see in this definition.
Not proud or haughty, not arrogant or assertive.1
Other definitions do a better job of defining what it is to be humble
Having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance.
synonyms: meek, deferential, respectful, submissive, unassertive2
Despite these definitions it's hard to understand how to practice being humble. We've seen living examples of being proud, haughty, arrogant, and assertive. All of these are actions that can be initiated, for example such a person can say "I am the smartest person in this city." A humble person can't really say "I am the most humble person in this city" because speaking of himself that way sounds like boasting which is the opposite of being humble. Being humble is more about how we respond to other people, for example proud or arrogant people.
I think part of the reason we struggle with the definition is that we don't use the word much to describe specific acts. Humble acts tend to go un-noticed because there is a quietness built into them.
In this lesson we'll see that being humble is an absolute requirement for the Christian. We need to nurture growth in that area. To do that we'll look at what the Bible says about being humble.
So far we've talked about being humble with other people. It is also necessary for us to be humble before God. We'll look at that as well.
In this lesson we'll also use other words that have the same meaning as humble. For example "humility", which would be humbleness, a word no one uses. We'll also see the word "meek".
And in that hour the disciples approached to join Yeshua and they were saying, "Who is truly the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" 2 And Yeshua called a boy and stood him in their midst. 3 And he said, "Truly I say to you, unless you will be converted and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." 4 "Whoever therefore humbles himself like this boy, he will be greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 18:1-4)
A good boy is servant to everyone because everyone is his elder and he respects them as he should. We should be humble as well and have the same attitude, that we are the servant of everyone. In this way we will be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Also, humble people, like this boy, are open to instruction and correction.
And you younger men, submit to your Elders and be closely garbed with humility of mind toward each, because God is opposed to those who are proud and he gives grace to the humble. 6 Be humbled, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the right time. (1 Peter 5:5-6)
Again we see the theme of submitting to our elders in humility, with the reward that God will exalt us
But you shall not be called "Rabbi", for one is your Rabbi, but you are all brothers. 9 And you should not call yourselves "Father", in the earth, for one is your Father who is in Heaven. 10 And you will not be called Leaders, because one is your Leader, the Messiah. 11 But he who is great among you will be a servant to you. 12 Whoever will exalt himself will be humbled and whoever will humble himself will be exalted. (Matthew 23:8-12)
Notice the key words here "whoever will exalt himself." Humble people are content with what they have and are not seeking after positions and titles that will bring them glory from men.
When you are invited by a man to a banquet house, do not go seat yourself at the best seat, lest it may be that he will appoint a man there who is more honorable than you. 9 And he who invited you should come and say to you, "Give the place to this man", and you will be ashamed when you stand and you take the last place. 10 But whenever you are invited, seat yourself last, that whenever he who invited you should come, he may say to you, "My friend, come up and be seated", and there shall be glory to you before all of those who sit with you. 11 Because everyone who will exalt himself shall be humbled and everyone who will humble himself shall be exalted. (Luke 14:8-11)
Humble people are content with what they have and do not desire the best things and the best treatment. When they receive such things they are thankful, where arrogant people might think they deserved it.
And if you suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed, and you should not be afraid of those who terrorize you, and be not provoked. 15 But hallow the Lord Yahweh the Messiah in your hearts, and be ready to return a defense to everyone who requests a statement from you about the hope of your faith, in meekness and in reverence (1 Peter 3:14-15)
Peter talks about people persecuting Christians. This could be verbally or physically. He says we should not be provoked to act out of character.
Instead, he says, we should be prepared to answer questions about the faith. Despite the persecution they are under and the temptation to shout back or be indignant, he directs Christians to respond with meekness (and reverence). The Gospel message is delivered better this way than by a pushy, aggressive, or condescending response.
Abstain from the disputes of fools who are without instruction, for you know that they generate conflict. 24 But a Servant of our Lord ought not to fight, but to be humble toward every person, instructive and long-suffering, 25 that he may instruct with humility those who dispute against him. Perhaps God will give them repentance and they will know the truth, 26 and they will remember their souls and break loose from the trap of Satan by whom they were captured for his pleasure. (2 Timothy 6:23-26)
In our time Facebook is the main location for disputes like this. I've seen lots of people who claim to be Christians but have not applied Paul's words here. All instruction needs to be done with humility or it will not be heard.
For people like this, I try to teach something small and then listen to see if the response shows that they are willing to consider it. If not there usually isn't any point in continuing what will become a fight, if it isn't already one.
Who of you is wise and instructed? Let him show his works in a beautiful way of life in the wisdom of meekness. 14 But if you have bitter envy or contention in your hearts, do not be puffed up against the truth and lie. 15 Because this wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, from the thoughts of the self and from demons. 16 For where there is envy and contention there is also chaos and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is pure, filled with peace, meek and attentive, filled with love and good fruit, without division and does not show partiality. (James 3:13-17)
James begins by talking about Christians having what we would call a secular education. A humble person wouldn't be puffed up about that education. Also, as we know, a secular education can conflict with the wisdom that comes from God and there is a specific warning not to put that worldly knowledge first … and therefore lie.
James then describes how the wisdom of God is different from the wisdom of the world and one aspect of that is meekness.
Or have I committed a crime to humble myself that you may be exalted, and to preach the Gospel of God to you without charge? 8 And I robbed other assemblies and took expenses for your service. 9 And when I came among you and had need, I was not a burden to anyone of you, for the brethren who came from Macedonia satisfied my want, and in everything I kept myself and shall keep, lest I be a burden to you. (2 Corinthians 11)
There were false teachers in Paul's time who lived very well on the people they could gather to themselves. It was very important to Paul that he not be seen to be one of those. As an apostle he had the right to be supported by them but if he saw that a problem would be created by that, he would support himself.
Here he reminds the Corinthian church how he humbled himself and did not demand the support he deserved. He also informs them, maybe for the first time, that another church supported him while he worked to build the Corinthian church and he also supported himself as much as possible.
And you should not do anything with contention or empty glory, but in humility of mind, let every person esteem his neighbor as better than himself. 4 Neither let a man care for that which is his own unless every person cares also for that which is his neighbor's. 5 And reason in your souls this that also Yeshua the Messiah did: 6 He who, while he was in the form of God, did not esteem this as a prize, that he was the equal of God, 7 But he stripped himself and took the form of a Servant and was in the form of the children of men, and was found in fashion as a man. 8 And he humbled himself and was obedient unto death, even the death of being crucified. 9 Because of this, God has also greatly exalted him and he has given him the Name which is greater than all names (Philippians 2:3-9)
Jesus is the model for humility in that he did not cling to being God but humbled himself to become a man and even to allowing death to claim him.
My brethren, if any of you should be overtaken by a fault, you who are in The Spirit should restore him in the spirit of humility, and be cautious lest you also be tempted. (Galatians 6:1)
If someone in the church sins and then repents, it's easy to think badly of them and to think how much better we are. A humble person wouldn't do that though. A humble person would accept that person back because he knows that's how he would want to be treated (Golden Rule) and he knows that "there, but for the grace of God, go I", meaning "it could have been him who sinned."
And he told this parable against those men who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and they held contempt for everyone: 10 "Two men went up to The Temple to pray: one a Pharisee and the other a Tax Collector. 11 The Pharisee was standing alone by himself and he was praying these things: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men: extortioners, oppressors, adulterers, and not like this Tax Collector. 12 But I fast twice in a week and I tithe everything that I possess. 13 But that Tax Collector was standing from a distance and he would not even lift his eyes up to Heaven, but he was smiting on his chest and he said, 'God, have pity on me, a sinner.' 14 I say to you that this one went down to his house justified rather than that Pharisee, for every man who exalts himself shall be humbled, and everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted." (Luke 18:9-14)
The tax collector knew his sins and was too humble to dare to look toward Heaven. He knew he wasn't worthy. Jesus says he "went down to his house", which means when he died and went to Sheol. Then he says he was justified before God at his death. The Pharisee was not, because of his lack of humility.
Charge them to obey rulers and authorities and to submit and be prepared for every good work, 2 and not to insult any person, neither to be contending, but they should be humble and show their sweetness in all things to all people. 3 For we also from the first were without intelligence and without conviction. We were deceived and servants to changing lusts and were employed in wickedness and in envy. We were despicable and hating one another. (Titus 3:1-3)
The humble obey authority. The reverse of this is that the arrogant are disobedient. The reason for this is that arrogance says, "I'm above the authorities and set my own rules."
The humble would not insult anyone or contend with anyone in authority.
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? (Micah 6:8)
This sounds good, but what does it mean to "walk humbly with your God." Next we'll look at that.
Then the Lord appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, "I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, 14 and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land." (2 Chronicles 7:12-14)
These verses are God's response to Solomon's dedication prayer for the temple (2 Chronicles 6:36-39). Just as the arrogant say that they are above man's laws, they also say that they are above God's laws. When people get like this, God brings disaster on them to get them to humble themselves and turn back to God.
You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. Deuteronomy 8:2)
The first of these commandments is that "I am God" which means he is powerful and not like men. Without thinking, many people try to use God to get things they want. During their time in the wilderness the Israelites were bad for doing this and for just generally ignoring God's commandments. God frequently needed to humble them.
Many Christians don't understand that improvising or improving on God's will is in fact arrogance and disobedience. God is perfect and his ways are perfect and we cannot offer better. Even suggesting we can is extraordinary arrogance.
"For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being," declares the Lord. "But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word" (Isaiah 66:2)
When the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, "They have humbled themselves so I will not destroy them, but I will grant them some measure of deliverance, and My wrath shall not be poured out on Jerusalem by means of Shishak. (2 Chronicles 12:7)
It is not everyone that says to me, "My Lord, my Lord", who enters the Kingdom of Heaven, but whoever does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, "My Lord, my Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, and in your name have cast out demons, and have done many mighty works in your name?" 23 And then I will confess to them, "I have never known you, remove yourselves far from me, you workers of evil." (Matthew 7:21-23)
The key to understanding these verses comes in verse 21 "whoever does the will of my father." Obviously these people thought they were doing the Lord's work, but notice "have we not ...". They believe they have done all their works for the Lord, but the Lord should have been doing his works through them.
As well as being called to be humble we are called to be another thing that seems to be a contradiction - bold. We often think that bold is necessarily aggressive and pushy, if not a belief that the bold one is better than others … arrogance. If the message we bring is better, then aren't the people who bring it also better. We've just learned that those are not the actions of a humble person.
The kind of boldness that God wants is not like that. He wants a boldness that comes out of love. Done this way, the one who delivers the message does it with a love that waits for the right time, uses the right words, and does not condescend.
So, the question comes again, "what does it mean to be humble" or "how do humble people behave." We've seen Bible verses describing both the things they do, and do not do.
1 Google Online Dictionary
2 Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humble