Humility

“I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.” – John 5:30

Humility is a defense against the sin of pride.  The carnal heart is infected with pride, it is the pillar of carnality.  A man’s pride chains him to sin, it exalts him above God, and it keeps him from repentance, which will lead to sanctification.  Furthermore, pride creates a great chasm between himself and humility.  Humility that would birth righteousness, devotion, reverence, and the hand of God on his life.  

Jesus Christ said, “I can of mine own self do nothing.”  This statement staggers me.  It is totally contrary to the way the world and Satan would have us operate.  They would have the sanctified, Christian believer, do everything of themselves.  Necessities must be met.  The tribulations, and challenges of life must be met.  Most of us have creature comforts that we feel we must maintain.  In addition, there are goals, ambitions, and wishes that we feel compelled to perform.  In all of this there is care, stress, and anxiety.  Take something as simple as cutting the grass for example.  Apparently, it is unbecoming of a neighbor to have an untidy lawn, so we labor to keep it tidy.  In that process we procure a mower, weed eater, fertilizer, hose, sprinkler, edger, and leaf blower; all of this just to keep the grass cut.  Or we simply pay someone who has all that already.  Regardless, we are then in need of gainful employment that will provide the money to pay or procure tools to cut the grass.  Grass is a luxury item, it provides no real value or profit to our lives., yet it is something (most of us) maintain.  Now, is cutting the grass a source of anxiety in our life?  Most likely not, however, it is a stressor.  It brings care to our little kingdom.  Depending on the size of your kingdom it may be one of a hundred things that cause care and worry.  You may feel like you are adequately managing the kingdom, or totally failing.  In either case, if we have the mindset that we are doing it, that we are in charge, if  that is our mindset you/we are  setting ourselves up for failure in the end.  The devil is moving us into the danger zone, setting up pride as an idol in our own hearts and letting us believe “you got this.”  True, it may all be “under control” today, but there is coming a day when it’s not.  There is a day when you need a Savior.  To some this realization may come sooner rather than later, but to all it will come.  The show may go on with a confident smile; but when death comes, nobody can pass judgment without Jesus.  If pride is cemented in your heart, you will not pass judgment.  Therefore, in all things we must “do nothing of ourselves.”  We must humble and cast.  The man of pride can be destroyed in the human heart as surely as the man of sin can, but the world, flesh, and the devil will constantly try to resurrect him.  Therefore, we must die daily and cast it all on Jesus.  Humble ourselves and let him lift us up. 

Humility is the silver bullet to the temptation of pride.  Humility firmly puts Jesus Christ in the driver seat.  You don’t have to have it all figured out.  You don’t have to have to be “owning life”; but you do have to cast all your care upon him.  We must humble ourselves, this is not a recommendation but a commandment.  When we do, God will lift us up and take care of us; he will keep that which is committed unto him “against that day.”