Imitate Christ.
Be like Jesus.
Do like He did.
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8 NKJV).
No, you and I are certainly not God. Far from it.
But, an inferiority complex is not humility.
Humility is humbling yourself for the greater good of God and all existence.
How could Jesus humble Himself to become a lowly human being unless it was for the greater good of all existence?
What’s this business of the greater good of all existence?
Even Jesus as God humbles Himself, or assumes a more lowly position than what He is or deserves, it is to achieve the greatest good for all.
Humility is an act of the will, since we are to humble ourselves, like Jesus humbling Himself.
But, Jesus had to do the humbling of Himself, because there is no one greater that could have required Him to do so.
Since God is greater than all, our submission to God is a humbling of ourselves, which amounts to God humbling us. Think about it. If you don’t see the need of submitting to God in any particular situation, then God is not humbling you. “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1Peter 5:6). Submission to God’s humbling of ourselves is when we achieve humility. However, humility is not a destination but a journey. We must always be becoming more like Jesus.
What’s the difference between humbling and humiliation? Christ humbled himself, but He was not actually humiliated. Whenever we have been caught unawares in the besetting sin of pride, we are humiliated. Pride must be repented of. On the other hand, when God is humbling us, we are actively participating in a difficult, character building time, where we are putting off character traits, which limit our reflection of Christ. It all depends on our heart attitude, whether we are being humbled or humiliated. “Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4).
Humiliation is when you are not seeing the need of submitting to God, when things are going so wrong, you can’t explain how that it could be happening. We fail to deliver or strike out trying. When we are humiliated, we can respond in anger or frustration, or we can immediately submit to God’s humbling for our good, and the greater good. Either we accept God’s humiliating of us or descend further in the condition of pride. And, pride is simply thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think (Romans 12:3).
How do we achieve humility?
First, humility is something achievable, or we would not be commanded, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5, 8).
Second, humility must be becoming more like Jesus, or why would we be called to follow in the steps of Christ? “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21).
Third, if pride is not the opposite of humility, then why would Scripture inform us, “But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6)?
Fourth, humility must not be simply ridding ourselves of the pride within us, or Jesus could not humble Himself, since He did not possess the sin of pride. “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).
Fifth, humility must be primarily submitting to God, as well as surrendering to the needs of one another equal to our own needs. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).
Sixth, humility must be pursued by God’s Spirit revealing (Philippians 3:15) to us continually all the things, which must be changed, set aside, adjusted — for this is growth (2Peter 4:18), and not repentance (sackcloth, Jonah 3:8) — or else we will be humiliated in a condition of pride (Pilate, John 18), requiring our repentance. God positively humbling us may simply be putting us in the difficult circumstance of having to point out to others their sin. “Lest, when I come again, my God will humble me among you, and I shall mourn for many who have sinned before and have not repented of the uncleanness, fornication, and lewdness which they have practiced” (2Corinthians 12:21).
Seventh, humility must be a perfection in keeping with Christ’s command, “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), or why would Paul in the same passage as maintaining his lack of reaching a final destination of perfection — “Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 3:12) — maintain he was already perfect in his journey of humility? “Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you” (Philippians 3:15 KJV).
May God bless Himself with a people, who do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with their God. In Jesus’ name, we ask it. Amen and amen.
We Need A Miracle 