Making The Case: Humility

 

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” – Colossians 3:3

This week, Lord being our help, I hope to explore the value of humility as found in the world and the Word.  Making the case for humility.

When we think of humility, specifically humility before God, and how it is perceived by the world; it becomes clear that the virtue is not long sought after or heavily exalted.  Humility is against human nature.  Oftentimes those who are passive or introverted will be perceived as humble, and contra wise, those who are extroverted and assertive as proud.  However, just because you are quiet doesn’t mean you are humble.  Humility is a matter of the heart.  Humility is not the thing that will bring you worldly wealth, power, or prestige.  While appreciated at times, it is not in high demand among popular culture.  In the world, humility before God is questioned, mocked, and scoffed at.  “Why would you commit your life to something unseen?”  “Why would you serve something that you cannot even touch?”  “Why would you go to church to worship Santa Claus?  I mean, that is all that God is.”  The concept that we are less than something which is unseen is completely outside of our carnal understanding.  It’s a fairy tale.  Are we so blinded by our own arrogance that we cannot stop to see the value of belief?  What is so attractive about the seen that supersedes the unseen?  What assurance is there offered in riches, companionship, or praise of men?  Are not even our days here on earth fleeting and limited?  God will teach the humble this and allow us to understand that the only hope we have is hope in Christ!  The world cares for itself and not humility and therefore it cares not for Christ.  Truthfully, were we not the same?  “Such were some of you but ye are washed, ye are sanctified, ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”  If you were to offer talent, power, intelligence, beauty, and humility before a carnal man and ask him to take his pick of one; odds are good, humility would not be his top pick.  Humility is despised by the world, but it is valuable to God.  This is only logical because that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.  So, no wonder that what the world rejects, God accepts; no wonder we are called to be pilgrims here but citizens there.  Strangers in the temporal but known in the eternal.  Aliens in the natural but adopted in the spiritual.  Humility as in the Word of God is as much a necessity to the Christian life as breathing is in the natural life.  Humility bases our purpose and exalts His.  In this sense we are dead (to our own way), and our life is hidden with Christ in God. 

A Christian who is consistently laboring towards his own devices, while simultaneously trying to serve God, will be in constant strife.  We must humble ourselves before God and let Him have His way.  It is a matter of yielding, and the proud do not yield.  What makes humility so precious is not what we can gain by having it, but who we can glorify.  God, and God alone.  He is worthy, he is holy, and if you will let Him; he will humble the sinner, edify the saint, and revive the church.