Humility

We used to take our kids to the zoo frequently when they were little. They loved to see all the animals. The lions, giraffes, and elephants were all so interesting for them. And they loved to ride on the train. We bought a family membership for the zoo with train passes included just so we would have cheap entertainment for the littles.

Often, as we would wait for the train to take a ride, we would see one animal up close - the peacock. Peacocks are so funny to me - have you ever seen one in person? They have to be the proudest birds God made: they unfurl their back feathers and strut around like they own the place. They look almost like God decided to pull a fast one on us!

If we’re not careful, we can look just as silly as those peacocks. When Dr. Jamie Dew preached his first chapel sermon as president of New Orleans Baptist Seminary, he told the seminary students and faculty that they needed to make sure they “kill the peacocks.” Christianity has no place for that kind of pride.

Humility Brings Us into Relationship with God

Deuteronomy 8:2–3 ESV

2 And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. 3 And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Isaiah 66:1–2 ESV

1 Thus says the Lord: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest? 2 All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the Lord. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.

In Luke 18, Jesus uses a parable we’ve all heard to show what humility before God looks like:

Luke 18:9–14 ESV

9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Humility Shapes Us to Be like God

Isaiah 52:13 ESV

13 Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted.

All through the rest of Isa 52-53, the servant is not exalted at all, but humbled. He is despised rejected, grieving, and unesteemed (3). He was smitten and afflicted (4). He was pierced, cursed, chastised, and wounded (5). He is burdened with our iniquities (6). He was oppressed, yet silent; he was cut off (8). He was killed though innocent of violence and falsehood (9). And all of it was God’s will (10). That’s why he can offer an invitation so great as the one in Matthew 11:

Matthew 11:27–29 ESV

27 All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Look at how Jesus describes himself: he actually calls himself humble twice (“gentle” and “lowly” both are synonyms of “humble”)!

Philippians 2:1–4 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Philippians 2:5–7 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:8–11 ESV

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Humility Prepares Us to Live (and Suffer) for God

Psalm 25:8–9 ESV

8 Good and upright is the Lord; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. 9 He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.

Luke 22:40–44 ESV

40 And when he came to the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not enter into temptation.” 41 And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” 43 And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. 44 And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

In Matthew 18, the disciples ask Jesus a very un-humble question: who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Look at his response:

Matthew 18:2–4 ESV

2 And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them 3 and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

James 4:10 ESV

10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

If we are going to follow Christ, we must be humble.