Humility
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Humility: “Voluntarily taking a position of lower importance or lesser privilege before God or others and deferring to them.”
No one does this naturally.
Typically, we avoid doing things we think are “beneath us.”
“Humility allows us to pursue our goals without burning relational bridges.”
An advantage
Humility leads people to root for them as they pursue their goals.
Three aspects of Humilty
Position - Taking the lower position. If a leader, choosing to serve those you lead.
Respect to all people - Refusal to cut people down, even in my own mind, or to judge them unfairly.
Service
Picture your life as a movie: Naturally, we are the star of the movie.
Humility is shifting my goal from being the star, to being the servant.
Wait, but if I shift my goal from wanting to be the star, than I probably won’t be the star.
Exactly.
Humility is coming to terms with the reality, that I don’t need to be the star.
Coming to terms with that is both:
Shattering
Freeing
1. Humility invites intimacy with God that brings refreshment.
1. Humility invites intimacy with God that brings refreshment.
For this is what the high and exalted One says— he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.
Being proud is exhausting.
Trying to maintain status or lift yourself up in the eyes of others is taxing.
There is a refreshment that God gives when we take the position of humility.
Contrite - I have sinned. I accept the consequences. God, I trust you and receive your discipline, for you are a good father. Use it to shape me into who you want me to be (Heb. 12:11)
Pride - Hard hearted and bullheaded when disciplined.
Frustrated at the consequences of sin.
Belittles, defends or excuses their own sin.
Worldly Guilt vs. Godly Guilt:
Worldly: Feels guilt because they got caught.
Don’t like the consequence.
Don’t like the reputation.
Godly: Feels guilt because they have sorrow that what they did was wrong.
Don’t like that they sinned against God.
Don’t like that they hurt others.
Leads to repentance.
Leads us to throw ourselves at the feet of Jesus.
2. Humility helps us to see clearly.
2. Humility helps us to see clearly.
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom.
Pride scews our perspective.
Think too highly of ourselves.
See the faults of others.
Struggle to see our own faults.
Story of Max:
He could only see the faults of others because of his pride.
Mantra, “Why does this keep happening to me?”
Have a conflict, feel betrayed, burn the bridge.
Girls
Guys
Parents
I think it was Dana who saw him with another ministry leader.
Another ministry - Other church set boundaries.
Tried to come back to Challenge
I tried to help him.
I told him he couldn’t come back to Challenge.
He needed to submit to the leadership of the church he was at.
“Why does this keep happenning to me?” Answer “Your pride has scewed your perspective on reality.”
As far as I know he is still living a really sad life.
Pride skews our perspective.
It distorts our own importance.
Alienates others
Sense of superiority.
Humility sets us up for wisdom and understanding
Humility is the pathway to see things clearly.
—> Understanding and wisdom
—> Wise choices
—> Stack wise choices
—> Longterm success and blessing in life.
3. God shows grace to those who are humble.
3. God shows grace to those who are humble.
Likewise, you who are younger, be subject to the elders. Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
God is against the proud.
When we stand on our heritage, accomplishments, personality, gifts or deeds in order to look down on others; we set ourself in opposition to God.
It is wise to humble ourselves, so God doesn’t need to do it for us.
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
4. Humility opens the door to the other attitudes of success.
4. Humility opens the door to the other attitudes of success.
Fear of the Lord and Trust in the Lord: Taking God seriously enough to stay within his boundaries and trust him with the outcomes.
Humility —> Opens the door for us to go: “God, you know way more than me, and you are way more powerful than me, so I am gonna trust you.”
Pride —> “I don’t need to trust God. I can pave my own path.” It drives us outside the boundaries God has established.
Teachability: Humility makes us ready to be taught. Ps. 25:9
He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.
Humility allows us to accept instruction and correction from others.
Pride: Makes us resistant to instruction.
Patience: “To be steadfast towards a goal, dispite opposition, difficulty or adversity.”
Humility: Accepts hardship as a discipline. Part of God’s good training.
Pride: Quit’s when hardship comes up, because they think they deserve better.
Conclusion:
Pride is one of your biggest enemies.
Humility is going to serve you well.
Pray for it.
Pursue it.
Ask God to show you your pride.
Look to the example of Christ: Phil. 2:5-7
Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
Receive the gift of salvation through Christ.
