I will admit that this is a difficult characteristic to define. We will do this through the Word of God and, more specifically, the example set by Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry. I could have used a multitude of different sources and definitions, reviewed a plethora of different papers, books, blogs, etc. to work through this “hard to nail down” subject, but since Scripture is sufficient for all things – not to mention that humility is mentioned almost 100 times – it only makes sense to start there. Proverbs, the book of wisdom, tells us this in chapter 22 verse 4:
“Humility is the fear of the Lord; its wages are riches and honor and life;”
Humility begins with the fear of God, which is not a trembling, terrified fear, but an awe-filled referential fear. This text declares that this is an admiral trait to have within us; there are rewards to be had if we have a humble heart. These can be eternal or temporal. Riches are not necessarily only financial or material, but can be riches as in those we might call friends. Honor. It goes without saying, but when does a humble person ever get disrespected because of their humility? Life here may not speak of the quantity of life, but the quality of life: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control (Galatians 5:22-23).
Philippians 2:3-5, “3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,”
The Apostle Paul is writing to the Philippian church about what their motivation should be in their service to one another. Humility is not the outward acts of being humble, but is the inward motivation that reflects true humility. It is the condition of the heart that will motivate the hands into action. We can also say that true humility will generate in us a desire to serve others and yet go unnoticed or unrewarded.
So, what are these two passages trying to tell us? It is telling us to consider, declare, deem, treat, and rate others of more value than ourselves. But in order to value someone more than ourselves, we must have a valuation scale. Let me take a time out here. I am not determining or stating that we assign some arbitrary value to other people. Each person that makes up the human race has dignity. That is clear throughout Scripture because we all, whether unbeliever or believer, are created in the image of God. We are to be treating others better than we treat ourselves. That is respecting and caring for others.
In contrast to humility, there is the sin of pride, most prominently displayed in narcissism. Narcissism is essentially a heart full of pride that is so deceived by sin that it does not realize it. People who are narcissistic tend to be selfish, but in a way that is hard for them to see it as being selfish. They are self-focused to a point that everything is about them, how everyone treats them, how this is against them, how great they are at this or that. This is not humility.
Yet, humility is also not a low value of ourselves. We are not to look upon ourselves as worthless or of lesser value than any other person. As believers we must understand that 1) we are valued and valuable, but 2) the value of Jesus Christ is so grand, so fantastical that in comparison it makes us look like we have no value. This is why in Job 25:6 Job declares “How much less man, that maggot, And the son of man, that worm!” We must remember Christ died for us. To be humble we must be looking outside ourselves to those around us.
As I stated in the beginning, humility is a hard word to define, and it is also a hard thing to describe. So, let me define it this way. Humility is to love and serve that which is unlovable. It is to know, love, and serve that which may never reciprocate, either by choice or ability. Jesus Christ exemplified this very thing in washing His disciple’s feet. This narrative is found in John 13:1-17.
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8 Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
Let me start with the fact that Jesus already knew two things. The first was that Judas Iscariot would betray Him and the second He would be, in a matter of hours, crucified. The basic definition that I gave earlier fits this situation, that you know, love, and SERVE those who are unlovable and who may not be able to reciprocate that love. Does that not rightly fit Judas Iscariot? If Jesus was returning to the Father shortly why would He need to stoop down to the lowest stations in that culture, the foot washing servant? Because He is humble and was giving them an example to follow. Jesus said as much in verse 15. But here is another thing that Jesus makes very clear. Look at verse 16 Jesus is Lord and Teacher and no one is greater than He and yet even He, the King of kings and Lord of lords, took on the role of the lowest station at that time. No one else can say that serving in whatever need there is – within the church – is beneath them.
When someone says, “I am humble” what is it that they are actually saying? There are only two response categories that the answer can fall under. Some might argue that there is a third category, and that being indifference. But I do not believe that the ability to be indifferent is applicable here because there is something that will always motive our choices and actions. It could be something that keeps us from helping or serving. It is not by indifference; it is selfishness that prevents that.
The first response would be of pride. This declaration of one’s own humility is actually the exact opposite. It is a statement of their pride and ego. It is done so without fully understanding the weight of their sin, or the price of their salvation, and quite possible comprehending what they were destined for prior to coming to faith in Jesus Christ. Hell, that place of eternal wrath and punishment for sins not wiped clean by the blood of Jesus Christ. The sin of pride is all about self, that is narcissism. We all know someone that is at some level a bit narcissistic. One thing about narcissism is that the one with it rarely admits it, usually because of their false sense of humility.
The second response would be of true humility. This is a declaration of not one’s own work, but the admission of what Christ has done for them. They have an understanding of what it means to be a child of the Most High God. And they understand what they have been saved from with a true realization that they could not do it for themselves. For every Christian, this should be our response, but on this side of Glory we are still prone to sin. We must continue to be reminded to have a humble spirit. When we are truly humble, we are more protected from so many other sins. The sin of pride tends to sprout other sins, so we must guard our hearts and always be able to see when we are becoming more prideful.
The man of God will have a sense of humility. He will serve in any way he can wherever he can and will do so with all thankfulness. To be humble is to deem others of greater value than himself and to see his God as that of greatest value. He will recognize the great divide that separates himself and God and will have a sense of being undeserving of being called and redeemed by the blood of Christ. For it was Jesus Christ who bridged that gulf, that divide, so that the man of God might have a right relationship with the God of the universe. The man of God will recognize through his humility that he brought nothing to his own salvation. That it was only through the completed work of redemption of Jesus Christ.
Does this characterize you? If so, you are demonstrating a characteristic of a man of God. If it does not, pray about it. Get into the Word of God. He has given us everything we need for life and godliness, for right living and walking as Christ walked. We have been told how to do it, but not just outwardly, the heart must be the focus. If you are not saved, I pray for you that today would be the day of salvation, but know what it is that you are being saved from, an eternity in Hell. A place where all unbelievers go to be punished for all of eternity, with no relenting, no breaks, and no reprieves. You will, if you are redeemed, spend eternity instead in the marvelous presence of Jesus Christ and His glory, but count the cost, there is a cost to following Christ. There may be relationships with family and friends that are lost, lifestyles that change, your desires and thoughts will be changed because He will place in you a new heart that seeks Him and desires Him and less of self. Let today be that day!
Iron Striking Iron 