Choose Humility

K.P. Yohannan, President, Gospel for Asia

There was a time in my life when I would become quite impatient with others when they couldn't discern things that were obvious to me regarding people, circumstances, ministries, or decisions to be made.

I would say ugly words such as these, not aloud but in my mind: "How dumb can you be? Can't you see this? What's wrong with you? Two plus two is four. What does it take for you to see this?" I would go on and on in my head, and my emotions would get all charged up.

By God's grace, He didn't kill me; instead He slowly began to show me my heart of pride. It was as if the Lord said, "You see, it was I who freely gave you grace, gifts, abilities, discernment, understanding and skills you possess. But now you are using them to beat up on others and you condemn, criticize and put them down. Do you want Me to allow you to become a vegetable, lying in your bed, unable to talk of move around?"

It was a frightening thought to entertain, and I knew all it would take was a car accident.

This rebuke from the Lord made me realize that my worst enemy is not the devil, but my own selfishness and lack of humility.

I still have a long way to go, but I want to continue to learn what Paul wrote in Philippians 2:3: "in lowliness of mind let such esteem others better than ourselves."

There is no way I can genuinely regard someone as better than myself as long as there is pride in my heart and I feel I am above others!

Why pride is so damning and dangerous

Pride will not allow us to love others. In Luke 15, the older brother of the prodigal son was so proud of his responsible behavior and hard work that he had no compassion or love left for his younger brother. In fact, he saw himself as so much more important and superior, that before his father he no longer referred to this miserable failure as "brother," but rather "this son of yours."

Pride seeks for man's honor and for position, no matter what. We will even use our worship and service to God to achieve this goal. That's why Jesus warns us: "Take heed that ye do not do your alms before men, to be seen by them ... as the hypocrites do ... that they may have the glory on men." (Matthew 6:1-2).

We set ourselves up to be opposed by God. "...for God resisteth the proud . . . " (1 Peter 5:5). I am sure you agree - this is a bad deal! If for some reason I got angry with you, you could punch me back. But if God becomes angry with you and resists you, you would have no chance.

It guarantees we lose God's grace. ". . . and giveth grace to the humble" (1 Peter 5:5). We need God's grace for every step in our Christian lives. However, god will only give it to us if He finds humility in our hearts. We bring disaster upon ourselves of we walk in pride and cut ourselves off from His grace.

We can no longer see our own faults or sin. The Pharisee standing in the temple next to the tax gatherer prayed, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men ... or even as this publican" (Luke 18:11).

How can we maintain a life of humility?

The answer is simple. There is only one medicine for all sicknesses caused by our pride: Follow Jesus. He is our life and our example in all things. Instead of striving to figure out how to respond to a situation, the best we can do is to choose to follow Jesus' example.

We will find that Jesus chose to serve instead of ruling, washing others' feet. He instructed His disciples: "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet" (John 13:14).

Giving up all His own ideas, He saw things from the Father's point of view: "...the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11)

And He lived in total obedience to His Father, regardless of the cost to Himself: "And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:8).

As long as we continue to "let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus"  (Philippians 2:5), we will maintain lives of humility that God will honor and bless.

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© 2008 Christian Missionary Pilots
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