What is True Humility?
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By humility and the fear of the LORD Are riches and honor and life.
-- Proverbs 22.4 (NIV)
Is true humility always letting the next person go ahead in line at a checkout? We often do that if it seems the person ahead of us doesn't have a lot of items, or is wrangling a small screaming child, or is disabled and wait would be a problem.
If we always let the next person behind us go ahead though, depending on how long the line is, we might never get to check out!
We all know someone in whom we recognize false outward humility. The person who ALWAYS in every circumstance acts like they're the humblest in the room, but we sense that it's an act. By being so humble, they actually call attention to themselves, because they pride themselves on being so humble.
Jesus is seen as the ultimate example of true humility. He, a member of the Godhead, left Heaven and came to earth as a lowly human. Living regular human experiences, He remained sinless despite multiple temptations. And His death on the Cross was certainly humble if not humiliating. Romans only crucified the "worst of the worst" and many are unaware the final indignity was they were stripped naked for the world to see.
He also took up the towel, knelt before his disciples and washed their feet at the Last Supper. The Twelve even objected to it. A lowly servant's task.
Not work expected of a king.
A search for Bible verses on humility took me to a surprising place: Psalm 46. I was delighted to find it had inspired a beloved old hymn, Ivory Palaces. The lush harmonies are wonderful, but even more moving is the contrast between living in an ivory palace and coming to earth to die on the cross for our sins The psalm is often named My Heart is Stirred by a Novle.
Psalm 46 however, is a wedding song. It may have been written for the wedding of a king of Israel, but it quickly becomes clear the King referred to is God, the Messiah. This unusual future wedding is of Christ with his Bride, the church.
The imagery is rich throughout.
Questions for Reflection:
1. What does true humility look like for you in your own life?
2. How can we apply Christ's principles for humility to each and every situation we encounter?
