Humility—who has mastered it? How often pride rises to choke the life out of us. How often pride is the great divider, causing arguments, arrogance, and self righteousness. Is not pride at the root of all our sins? And yet Christ-like humility is the antidote.
Slothfulness is a result of pride. I don’t need to do that! Malice results from a prideful heart. I don’t need to forgive them. Greed forms from thinking we deserve more than we have. Lust results from putting our desires above the other person and ultimately, God.
Every sin results from thinking we know best. Pride feeds our flesh and exalts us above the mandates of God.
The problem with pride is that it is never satisfied. Feed it and it will only want more. It is a dangerous game to indulge in actions that serve nothing but our pride. Instead of it serving us, it controls us.
And yet there is another option. While pride divides, humility unites. Where pride serves self, humility serves others. Humility is more than just meekness—it is proper recognition of who we are. It recognizes our dependence on God and our charge to put others above ourselves.
Humility does not come easily. In fact, it can only come with the painful death of Pride. And Jesus Christ gives us His Word and example to help us slaughter this beast.
Humility require a daily dying to self as described by Luke.
“And He was saying to them all, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.’”
Luke 9:23
It is not an easy struggle, but it is a worthwhile one.
Christ himself came to us in humility. Surely, we who fail and fall can recognize our lowliness.
We deserve nothing, but Christ gave us access to the Father and eternal life. Humility should arise out of our gratitude.
I don’t say this to you as one who has gotten it perfect—far from it. We are earthly beings and we struggle with pride and sin. Yet the true shame would be to give up fighting and capitulate to the desires of our flesh.
Fight!
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
Hebrews 4:15
We will mess up. Pride will get the better of us. But you and I must keep fighting against it. We must seek to live as Jesus did—humbly. We won’t be fighting alone. We have the Holy Spirit. We have the Holy Word. We have pastors and brothers and sisters in Christ. And we have God himself.
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”
James 4:10
Praise be to God who sees our sin and rebellion and yet forgives us when we come to Him in repentance. Let our humility arise out of a grateful heart and joyful spirit because our Savior redeems us from our sin and sets our feet upon solid ground. Thank you Jesus.
