“Therefore
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God (set aside self-righteous
pride), so that He may exalt you (to a place of honor in His service) at the
appropriate time” (1
Peter 5:6, AMP).
Humility is the secret of divine lifting. Humility is
associated with the word ‘humus’ which means coming from the earth. Human
beings were made by God from the dust of the earth, and in comparison to God we
are nothing. In His magnanimity, He chose to share His glory with man by
breathing into him His breath and making him the zenith of His creation. Below
are some truths on humility:
Humility is Simplicity: The book “Good to Great” by Jim Collins researched
companies who transformed from ordinary companies to extraordinary companies.
The book highlighted that all the CEOs of these Good to Great companies
were executives who combined humility with professional will. Because of their
humility and simplicity, they were able to motivate their work force to take
the companies to higher heights. They were not charismatic or larger-than-life
personalities. King David in the Bible was well loved and accepted because he
was a simple and accessible leader (1 Samuel 22:2).
Humility is Meekness: Meekness is power under submission. The horse is a very
powerful animal that was and is still used to drive carriages, wagons, etc.
Motor vehicles’ capacity is called horsepower. An untamed or unsubdued horse is
very dangerous. For horses to be useful and serve worthily, it has to be tamed,
subdued and submitted to the will of the owner. Jesus Christ though very
powerful submitted to the will of God the Father in Heaven and on earth.
Because of His submission He was raised to the right hand of God and given a
name higher than all names. Before honor comes humility. (Scripture reference: Philippians
2:5-11).
Humility is not thinking less of oneself; it is thinking of
yourself less:
People usually equate humility with low self-esteem. Humility is not low
self-esteem; humility is low self pre-occupation. The difference between a
proud person and a humble person is that the proud is very self-centered. The
proud is very quick to brandish their achievements, wealth, knowledge, pedigree,
etc. and leave God out of the equation
of their success. The mantra of the humble is “everything I am I owe to God.” The
Bible says, “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that
you did not receive? Now if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you did
not receive it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).
Humility is having regard for the lowly, despised and non-consequential: The humble regards all humans as God’s
creation made in His image and likeness. The Bible says, “Though the Lord is on
high, yet He regards the lowly, but the proud He knows from afar” (Psalm 138:6,
NKJV). God is not class nor race conscious. He regards people who society
despises and disregards because every man was made in His image. The humble
person sees all humanity with the lenses of divinity. Though God is the Most
High, yet He has regard for the lowliest of the low.
Humility is purging oneself regularly before God: Just like the body purges itself
from toxins and contaminants, so does the humble purges his/her soul before the
Almighty God. The Apostle Paul, a very humble man says that even though he
walks in a clear conscience that does not mean he is entirely innocent before
God (1 Corinthians 4:3-5). He acknowledges God as the Judge and the Person to
whom he is answerable to. The humble doesn’t seek to always justify themselves.
The prayer of the humble is, “search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and
know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead
me along the path of everlasting life” (Psalm 139:23-24).
CONCLUSION: There are several other things humility is
besides the aforementioned. Humility and pride are both attitudes and issues of
the heart. Issues of the heart are usually difficult to decipher. Only God can
adequately judge the heart of men. The Bible admonishes us to cloth ourselves
in humility. It is a garment that attracts God to us. Pride on the other hand
repels God from us. Receive fresh grace for humility in Jesus name.
