Tag Archives: Humility

MORE OF THIS AND LESS OF THAT

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Since this past March and through today I have been reading and thinking a lot about a couple of subjects that are antithetical. In March I got and read a little book that expanded my understanding of one of the subjects. On Monday I read a challenging article online about the same subject (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/june-web-only/what-psychology-offers-christians-amid-political-polarizati.html); and today I read another one online (https://www.challies.com/reading-classics-together/10-sure-marks-of-humility/). Not only have I been reading about these things, this evening I began working on my assigned subject for preaching in a couple of weeks and the passage includes teaching about the two opposites.

The antithetical qualities I’ve been thinking and reading about are humility and pride. It’s entirely possible that I’m giving attention to these matters because at the age of 68 I am still working on cultivating the one and eliminating the other.

Writer Tim Challies begins his article “Traits of a Humble Person” with the question, “Is there any trait more odious than pride or more precious than humility?” Challies is looking for a “no” answer, but I would say “yes” to both parts of the question; not, however, to minimize the odor of pride or the value of humility.

As the title of this post suggests, I’m looking and hoping for more humility and less pride not only in myself, but in all of us. Part of the challenge of making progress in cultivating humility and eliminating pride in our lives is coming to a clear understanding of what these words actually mean.

In a lot of what I have been reading about humility, often writers suggest what it is not rather than saying what it is. For example, in his excellent book Humilitas John Dickson says “Humility does not mean humiliation,” and then adds “Nor does it mean being a doormat for others” (p.22).

I agree with Dickson and question statements that say “a humble person thinks little of himself” or “a humble person thinks better of others than of himself.” Still another writer counters “Humility is NOT low self-image; it starts with a healthy view of self.” I think C.S. Lewis gave the best definition when he wrote, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

What are we to say about pride? I’m thinking pride is the opposite of humility and is often accompanied by selfishness. Borrowing from the Apostle Paul’s warning in Romans 12:3 we get a sense of pride, “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves” (NLT).

I can’t give precise definitions of pride and humility, but I want to borrow from what Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart said in 1964 about hard-core pornography. In one of the best-known phrases in the history of the Supreme Court he said, “I know it when I see it.”

I usually know both pride and humility when I see them. Sometimes, however, I’m not sure I see pride in myself. What I do know is that I need more humility and less pride. And maybe you do as well?

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GIVE ME WISDOM

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Last week in our Encore Bible Study we began a new study entitled “Great Prayers of the Bible.” Our goal for this study is that we will learn more about prayer, as well as be challenged and encouraged to pray. This week we’re looking at Solomon’s prayer in I Kings 3.

In coming to the account I think it would be safe to say that Solomon’s prayer is not a normal prayer so to speak. Solomon had recently been established as king following his father David. He went to worship, and while there the LORD appeared to him in a dream and told him, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you” (I Kings 3:5).

Solomon thoughtfully responded to God’s offer. The first thing he did was express gratitude to God for his kindness (verse 6). Whenever and wherever we pray, it is always appropriate to be thankful. Solomon also expressed humility (verse 7). He knew being king was a great responsibility and he was not overly confident of his ability. As a matter of fact, he suggested he was inadequate for the job. Heartfelt humility is always appropriate, and perhaps especially when we go to the LORD in prayer.

After expressing gratitude and humility Solomon made his request: “give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong” (verse 9). I’m impressed by what Solomon did not ask for, but more importantly, so was God (verse 11). As impressed as I am by what he did not ask for, I’m more impressed by what he did ask for. But again, so was God. “The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this” (verse 11). God was so pleased that he told Solomon he would grant his request by giving him a wise and discerning heart, but he would also give him what he did not ask for (verses 12 and 13).

I’m thinking asking for wisdom is a request you and I should regularly be making in our prayers today. Who doesn’t need wisdom? Or perhaps better yet, who doesn’t need more wisdom? There is an interesting promise in the New Testament in James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Wisdom is available to us if we seek it and ask for it.

Here’s my takeaway from this for your consideration: Solomon’s thoughtful request for wisdom tells me he was already somewhat wise. His request shows that, doesn’t it? And the primary wisdom book of the Old Testament tells us in Proverbs 9:9, “Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.”

Most of us have heard the saying “The rich just get richer.” If that’s true, and it often is, I want to add another similar phrase that is also true: “The wise just get wiser.” If we are wise it seems to me we should humbly ask for more wisdom, always remembering that it will be difficult to grow in wisdom if we think we already know everything.

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SHOULD WE BOAST? IT ALL DEPENDS

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Should we boast? My inclination is to say “no.” There are numerous warnings against pride and calls for humility for the people of God in the Bible. Pride is generally ugly and boasting is usually irritating.

That’s why a lot of people, if they don’t already know it, will be surprised to learn that the Bible actually tells us to boast.

In I Corinthians 1:31 the Apostle Paul paraphrases Jeremiah 9:24, “Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord’.” Before this quotation Paul reminds his readers that when they became Christians they were not in the upper class. In the second part of verse 26 he writes, “Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.” But in spite of that, and because they had no reason to boast, God chose them. But now that they are in Christ, if they are going to boast, they should boast in the Lord.

To get a better grasp of what is being said, I think it is helpful to review the context and fuller statement of Jeremiah from which Paul borrows. Jeremiah 9:23 tells us the LORD says: “Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches.” It reminds me of what Paul told the Corinthians they were lacking when they became Christians.

But then in Jeremiah 9:24 Jeremiah continues, “but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” That sounds like the reasoning Paul gave for God choosing the Corinthians.

So we know what we aren’t to boast about (and not everything that we are not to boast about is listed in Jeremiah 9:23), and what we are to boast about: God, who He is, and that we know him. But I don’t think that means we are to be smug about it, but that our boasting is to be humble and not self-serving.

As Christians we do know God, but we don’t know or understand everything about him. To act and talk like we do is not the kind of boasting the Bible calls for.

Last week I was working on a Bible study I am teaching and in my preparation came across a quote by Frederick Dale Bruner I had underlined when I first read the book in 2013. In the book THE HOLY SPIRIT: Shy Member of the Trinity Bruner notes there is an attitude that “is confident that, in at least some divine matters, it has the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Hence, it is prepared to cast into the outer darkness all who do not agree with it” (p. 67). I’m confident that is not what God, Jeremiah, or Paul meant when suggesting we boast in the Lord.

Have you ever been confident that you had the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about God? I have, and I was wrong.

Should we boast? Yes; but if we boast we should do so with and in a spirit of humility.

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IT’S A NEW YEAR – SO WHAT?

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With the ending of the year this week a lot of us are thinking about changes we would like to make in the coming year. Some will make resolutions, of course, while others will be less specific in considering how they would like to do better. It is true, in a sense, that when we move from December 31 to January 1 this week it will be just another Saturday to Sunday, but it also will mark the beginning of a New Year. I am among those who like to give consideration to at least a few positive changes I would like to make as we turn the calendar from one year to another.

During October, November, and December Jan and I have already made one gigantic change in selling our house, moving to Texas, and making arrangements to buy a new one. I am also using the occasion, as I generally have in the past, to specify a few challenges for myself. A couple have to do with my health, of which I will not bore you, and one is a general spiritual challenge.

I’ve been thinking a lot the last couple of weeks about the Apostle Paul’s challenge in Ephesians 4:1, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” I don’t think he is talking about a specific “calling” to be a pastor or missionary or whatever, but the general calling to be a Christian—a disciple of Jesus. In other words, the urging to live a life worthy of the calling you have received is for all of us who have said yes to the Lord. But what does it mean “to live a life worthy of the calling” we have received? It certainly can’t mean that having been accepted, forgiven, and saved by grace we are now supposed to measure up by becoming worthy in ourselves.

I looked at a variety of other translations and got some help from Eugene Peterson’s The Message. He paraphrases, “I want you to get out there and walk on the road God called you to travel.” The way I am taking Paul’s challenge for myself is to continually give myself to living as a Christian and making progress in it. And the key for me is the phrase “making progress.” None of us would have to look too far in the New Testament, or think very much about living the Christian life,  to come up with a couple of specifics we could focus on with the beginning of another year.

What I’ve become more convicted of the past few weeks is the Bible’s general call for and Jesus’ specific teaching about humility. Two teachings from Jesus that have my attention are Luke 14:11, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted,” and Luke 18:9, “To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable.” Clear instruction from Paul that challenges me is in the middle of Romans 12:3, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.” I had already been thinking about this matter, and then read in a book last night that living the Christian life is not compatible with self-aggrandizement. I looked the word up and self-aggrandizement is “the practice of enhancing or exaggerating one’s own importance, power, reputation, status, etc.” To me this sounds like what both the Bible in general and Jesus in specific tells us not to do.

I have no idea what specific area or areas you may want to make progress in this coming year, but for me it is chipping away at pride and cultivating humility. I’m using this post as a first step. If you would like to join me I encourage you to read the passages I have cited in their context, especially the two parables of Jesus in Luke 14 and 18. It’s a New Year – so what? It’s an opportunity for us to give ourselves to making some progress in living the Christian life. It’s up to you whether or not you do.

Feel free to leave a reply below or email me at bobmmink@gmail.com; also consider sharing this post on Facebook.

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HUMBLE AND KIND

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(A follow-up to “Do We Need to Be So Harsh?”)

Country music fans will recognize this post’s heading as the title of Tim McGraw’s current number one song. If you’re not a fan of country music don’t worry—I’m not going to include the words or a link to him singing the song. I simply appreciate the song’s challenge to always stay humble and kind.

Who doesn’t need that challenge? I don’t know about you, but I certainly could do better when it comes to humility and kindness. I’m guilty sometimes of thinking more highly of myself that I should (see Romans 12:3).

Because I drive a lot I have XM radio and split my drive time listening to sports, news, and music. And I rotate the music I listen to between oldies but goodies and country. McGraw’s song is one of the few I hear that convicts and encourages me.

It seems to me that the two, humility and kindness, go together. Humble people tend to be kind–and kind people tend to be humble. In my experience, proud people are often cruel—and cruel people are proud.

Consider a couple of synonyms of humble: respectful and submissive. Think about a couple of synonyms of kind: considerate and gracious. I know I need to be more submissive and gracious, more considerate and respectful.

The Bible is clear that followers of Jesus need to cultivate both humility and kindness. Among many passages, four New Testament passages you might consider are Jesus in Luke 14:7-11, Paul’s description of love in I Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul’s list of the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 and 23, and Paul’s call to us within the body of Christ in Ephesians 4:2. Go ahead and take the time to check out those four passages—it won’t take long at all.

When do we need to be humble and kind? And who are the people we need to show humility and kindness? I would suggest we begin with those closest to us—family and friends—and then include everyone with whom we come into contact. I think we should show humility and kindness to people we don’t even know—including those who serve us in so many ways.

It’s not in the Bible, but I note the song challenges us to always stay humble and kind. That suggests we may be humble and kind at one point in our lives only later to abandon those qualities. Or it may suggest that we are generally humble and kind but there are times when we are not. Do either of those suggestions ring true in your life—as they do in mine?

I plan to become kinder and more humble as a way of life. And not because of Tim McGraw’s song, but because I want to live more like the Lord wants me to live. We have to decide that we are going to be humble and kind and then with the Lord’s help do it.

Share these thoughts on social media and feel free to comment below.

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