Word to the Wise: Humility

Intro

This is our final sermon in our “Word to the Wise” series, and also our final time playing “Wise and Otherwise”

*Greek, Russian, Irish, Chinese, Serbian*

The final thought in our series is one that is a simple idea to understand and much more difficult to put into practice: humility

Concept: Humility = think of others as more important than yourself… Easy!

Practice: Humility = live like others are more important than yourself… not so easy

Proverbs has a unique perspective on humility that I think will help us be mindful

But the real challenge is going and living out the truth

Read Proverbs 29:23 and pray

What Goes Up… Must Come Down (Prov. 29:23a)

Pride is about lifting yourself up

Hebrew word for “pride” here is derived from a word meaning “high”

In pride we seek to elevate ourselves, put ourselves over others and look down on them

“You all look like little ants from up here” quote from “A Bug’s Life”

Often at the expense of pushing others down

It is impossible to think to highly of yourself and not think less of others

Kids find this out quickly on the schoolyard

Share about some people making fun of Malachi’s height

This still happens in families, workplaces and friend groups all the time

Do NOT push others down to elevate yourself

In open defiance of God’s place in your life

Pride has an even greater danger than just belittling those around you… it seeks to usurp God’s throne

In fact, pride is the root of the original sin: Adam and Eve were tempted by the deception of the serpent that if they disobeyed God and ate the fruit of the knowledge of good and evil, they would “be like God”

Ever since this moment our pride as humanity has sought autonomy from God

We can do it on our own! We can rule our own lives! We don’t need God...

The Tower of Babel was another story of humanity’s pride: cf. Genesis 11:4.

They wanted to “make a name for themselves.” It was about their kingdom, their accomplishments… their pride

Thousands of years later, I’m afraid not much has changed

Secular humanism peddles the same goods in different language:

You can be like God = You can set the rules for what is right and wrong. You can pursue your own path to happiness

Make a name for ourselves = Together we can accomplish anything, through technological and scientific advances

It’s the same root problem of pride that seeks to knock God off his throne and put us in His place.

All of which comes with a significant warning:

The consequence of pride is being brought down (hard)

Icarus flying to close to the sun; sign at the top of the Texas Giant roller coaster “Wait! Let’s Discuss This! w/ Wile E. Coyote

“one’s pride will bring him low,” What goes up (pride) must come down (fall)

Natural consequence in how you have treated others

Guess what? Making a habit of pushing others down to elevate yourself really doesn’t get people to like you

You create competition and enmity that will lash back at you

Even if others are not responsible for your fall from grace, there will be little mercy shown

F1 = Mercedes not winning after 8 years in a row

An act of God to appropriately put you in your place

There are severe consequences in our life when we try to take God off His throne!

Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden and required to experience death

The nations at Babel were confused in their language and scattered across the world

The world of secular humanism is also constantly reminded of limitations

Can we really be like God? Can we really accomplish anything?

It took one microscopic virus to force us to realize how out of control we truly are

It doesn’t work! God alone is sovereign and He desires to be King in your life, too

What Bows Down… Will Be Lifted Up (Prov. 29:23b)

Humility is about not thinking to highly of yourself, or becoming self centered (lowly)

Spend your time lifting others up instead of yourself

This is the exact opposite of pride, and where our energy should go

Cf. Philippians 2:3.

Simple, right? Others are more important. Easy to understand, hard to live out

Share about Eli and the mini egg donuts/Janelle serving on her birthday

Acknowledge God’s rightful place in your life through true and honest worship

The exact opposite of pride here is surrender

God IS on the throne; can you acknowledge that?

He reveals what is true, He teaches right and wrong, He is able to control what we cannot… He is in charge

Surrender sounds daunting, maybe even crazy, because it is

But, It. Is. Worth. It.

It is much more daunting and even crazier to believe we can do this on our own

Submission to God and worship of Him (elevating His name) is true freedom and fulfillment

Show “I Am Second” film

The outcome of humility is to be lifted up

“Honor” or glory in your community comes from the trust people give you because of your selflessness and focus on others

Those who help others will find help and support when they need it as well

Talk about all how everyone helping me move has made me (more) eager to help others move

When you show others honour in humility, they desire to do the same

Do you see how this impacts a family? A church? A community?

God will choose to lift you up and bestow honor on you as you submit to Him… He defends you so you don’t have to

Cf. Proverbs 15:25. Houses? Widows? What does this have to do with anything?

Where pride screams at us to defend and uplift ourselves, God has promised to do this for you

He will look after you, care for you, defend your reputation, bestow honour and lift you up

Remember Pete Briscoe? How can Jesus not be number 1 with His unfailing love for you?

Jesus himself makes this promise in Matthew 5:3, ““Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

What bows down will be lifted up

Conclusion

What goes up must come down

Pride seeks to lift yourself up at the expense of others and the expense of God’s place as first in your life

The result is not just humility, but humiliation

What bows down will be lifted up

Humility seeks to treat others as better than oursevles by lifting them up instead

The result is that God and others can return the favour to lift us up and bestow honour

Word to the Wise: When you give God the throne of your life and focus on lifting others up, you will receive honour that pride can never give you.

Pray