The value of humility

Now a centurion had a servant who was sick and at the point of death, who was highly valued by him. When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his servant. And when they came to Jesus, they pleaded with him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, said, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the servant well. (Luke 7:2–10)

On Monday I had another eye appointment. I’d earlier gone to my regular optometrist who suspected the beginning of problem with the other eye and sent me to a specialist who gave me weekly shots and said I’d need them for the rest of my life. However this one was several weeks from the previous shot. However, for some reason, I was even more nervous than usual. Getting a needle in the eye is not fun.

On the way there, I prayed, mostly for a calm attitude. However, I also asked for a good result. The surprise happened; the tests showed no more symptoms. I believed God could do that but didn’t know if He would. The next check up is months from now.

In the above passage, Jesus went with the centurion, not because of his good reputation. This man understood Jesus’ authority, but he also understood that he was not worthy to have Jesus in his home, and that He could heal from wherever He was. In other words, he knew that Jesus was no ordinary man. He was able to heal his servant without any merit or doing anything to deserve such a blessing.

In my car on the way to the eye doc, I was thinking more about my lack of worth and about this painful procedure than about deserving anything from the Lord, never mind a reversal on the tests from the last visit. Oddly enough, having that happen makes me feel even less worthy. It also makes me realize the important relationship between faith and humility. Those with great faith never feel as if they deserve blessings or rewards, the opposite of how even Christians can assume God owes them.

Lord, yesterday, people disappointed me and I felt unworthy. Today the same people blessed me, yet my first reaction was to thank God rather than think I was due that blessing. Jesus, being a Christian with faith in You is so different than being my old self. You said this: ”Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:12) and Peter learned it: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you” (1 Peter 5:6) so that I might learn it also. Again, I am blessed.

 

 

Choosing Humility

 

At times I’ve wondered why God left us with this old nature that is so contrary to His Spirit and to the way He wants us to live. The obvious answer is that this is not heaven, not the place where God’s people will be perfect. But there is another reason; whenever I fall back into trying to live in my own strength or doing things my way instead of His, and it fails as it always does, I am deeply humbled. And God blesses humility.

The Bible describes humility and shows how God humbles His people and why. Their wanderings through the wilderness after being delivered from slavery was both humiliating for them and yet for their good:

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. (Deuteronomy 8:3)

God fed them in the wilderness with manna to humble and test them, to bless them. (Deuteronomy 8:16) However, He expected them to humble themselves, to seek Him rather than sin. He said:

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Nebuchadnezzar figured it out. He said, “Praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Daniel understood it too and was rewarded as the angel of the Lord said to him, “Fear not, Daniel, for from the first day that you set your heart to understand and humbled yourself before your God, your words have been heard, and I have come because of your words.” (Daniel 4:37; 10:12)

Jesus gave an illustration: “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4) and a reason for humility: “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12) He also set the ultimate example:

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

The NT is clear that, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6) Humble people know they cannot run their own lives, but instead run to Jesus for everything. He is my wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, justification, my fortress, strength, and hiding place. Without Him I am nothing and can do nothing. The problem is: even though I know it, I forget it, or take it for granted, or assume my latest idea or plan will work, or simply try taking back control for some silly reason only to fall flat on my face.

For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these (including doing my own thing). I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:17–26)

PRAY: I thank You for the wonder of forgiveness and the price paid for my salvation. I praise You for new life and the ability to humble myself and choose obedience. It would be wonderful if that came easily under the pressures and desires of my old nature, and sometimes it does, yet too often am humbled by failure and the wrong choice rather than letting You lead me, so again, thank You for the wonder of forgiveness.

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

READ: 1 John 1:5-2:6. What does this say about how to humble myself?