Meek, Not Weak

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Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

--James 4:10 (NKJV)

One of the most common traits in Western culture is the propensity to magnify personal attributes. We are taught that achieving success requires us to stand out, get noticed, and excel above everyone else. In most occupations, promotion and increase are dependent on touting personal achievement, talents, and accolades.

Yet these behaviors are contrary to God’s Word. There are multiple mentions of the Lord’s favor toward the humble, not the prideful. Scripture teaches us that pride is associated with shame, strife, and destruction. So, how can we stay humble while living in a society that discourages this behavior?

Mercifully, Jesus provides the best examples of humility. Though He was all powerful, our Savior was compassionate to those considered outcasts. He broke bread with sinners. Jesus endured false accusations without rebuttal. He loved people despite their flaws. Yet Jesus was also a servant. Our Savior even took on the lowly task of washing feet. When we learn to emulate Jesus’ humble attitude, serving others becomes second nature. Humility isn’t a detriment to achievement but rather a virtue that attracts God’s grace.

I learned this over decades of working in healthcare. Still, one occasion sticks with me. In the supermarkets where I worked, food and plastic inevitably ended up in the aisles. There were people hired to clean the floors, but the amount of trash people readily drop is astounding. At a certain point, the Lord prompted me to stop walking past the debris like everyone else and pick it up. It wasn’t my job to keep the store clean, but I would become aggravated until I disposed of the wrappers, napkins or whatever else was on the floor. This quickly became a habit, and I thought little of it.

Roughly a year later, I received a promotion that I didn’t request. My pay increased, but more importantly, it allowed me to spend time with my family during crucial life events. When I later reflected on it, God impressed upon me that being humble enough to be a good steward of the store rewarded me with the managerial promotion.

Jesus humbled Himself and was later exalted to the right hand of the Father. When we are humble, God raises us up as well. The success we seek may come effortlessly when we get over ourselves and willingly serve other people.

Questions for Reflection:

1. How do you treat people? Are you kind?

2. Do you mock people due to their occupation, education, or status? Ask God to reveal any prideful behavior.