Foundational Attitudes for Good Relationships - Humility

Foundational Attitudes for Good Relationships - Humility Paul wrote to the Philippians, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. God calls us to healthy relationships. The foundational attitudes are love and humility. Paul taught us that love is greater than faith and hope. Later, Augustine said that in Christianity, humility is first, second, and third. Last week we discussed love. But what is humility? In the Bible there is a clear contrast between pride and humility. This can be seen in the words used. In the Old Testament, the three verbs used for pride mean to rise up, to be high or exalted, and to boil or act with presumption while the two verbs used of humility mean to afflict or oppress bringing down and to be low. Pride is connected with being high and humility with being low. The same pattern continues in the New Testament where the verb to be proud means to appear above and the verb to exalt means to raise aloft. The verb to humble means to make low and the adjective humble means low-lying. We can define pride as the desire to appear greater or higher than one really is. Pride is to think of oneself more highly than one ought. Humility can mean having been brought down in self-opinion through affliction. It can also mean recognizing God as being infinitely superior to us, viewing one's strengths and weaknesses accurately, and viewing others as deserving one's service while knowing that in human society it is the low who serve. Christians view humility as a constructive virtue. Ancient pagans saw it as lowliness in a negative sense, either a lack of spirit or lack of confidence. However, Biblically, humility is neither despair nor a bad self-image. Rather it is a positive choice to serve as one is designed by God to serve others. So, humility is a choice to be a servant. Peter says several things about it in 1 Peter 5. In verse 6, he writes, Humble yourselves ... under God's mighty hand. This actually means "be humbled," to allow God's greatness to humble you in your own eyes. When we compare ourselves to God, we can only see ourselves as low. We must then accept that God made us to be servants to others. In verse 5 he had said, Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another. This verb means to put on the apron of a slave, the uniform of servanthood. We must choose and then wear a servant attitude. We must choose to see other people as deserving our service and to then serve them graciously. In the first four verses, Peter addressed church leaders and told them to be models of humble servanthood. They are to serve willingly, to lead, not out of greed, but with eagerness to serve, and to not lord over others but to serve as examples. Jesus is our chief example of humility. Mark quotes Him saying, For the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. As our original text in Philippians 2 told us, we are to forsake selfish ambition and consider others as better. Then we are to serve them. Humility is a practical attitude. Paul speaks of this in Romans 12. In verses 3-8, he urges us to take a practical view of ourselves. First, reject an inflated self-opinion. Do not seek positions for which God has not qualified you. Instead, form a sober judgment of yourself. Humility is complete honesty, not a low self-esteem. Humility recognizes our God-given gifts. We should avoid false modesty. Recognize that God gives each of us gifts to equip us to serve one another. Accept that God gives differing gifts to different individuals. Recognize the gifts He has given you and the degree He has gifted you and then use your abilities to the full measure of your faith to serve others, not to exalt yourself. Then in verses 9-16, Paul tells us to take a practical view of others. Sincere love humbly honors others above oneself. Love and humility combine to motivate active service. Humility views other Christians as deserving my service. As Proverbs 13:10 says, Pride only breeds quarrels, but humility breeds loving service. We must not consider ourselves as higher than or above the lowest of society. Instead, we are to associate with and serve those the world looks down on. Be willing to learn from the lowest of society. Do not be conceited, thinking too highly of your own wisdom. Love and humility are foundational to all relationships. Let us practice love: An unconditional giving of oneself to meet the needs of others. Let us practice humility: The attitude of a servant doing all one can to meet the needs of those around us while viewing them as deserving of our service. As a Christian, you can choose to be loving and humble, but this is only possible by faith in Jesus and in dependance on the Holy Spirit. Are you living by faith in Jesus?