In this series, I Need You, we have been looking at our need for each other in the Body of Christ and how much we need community in order to grow up into what we have been called to be. Today, I want to look at the humility that it takes to do this and the war with pride we will fight in order to walk together in unity.

humility: moderation as regulated by inner perspective, living in complete dependence on the Lord, i.e. with no reliance on self

The way of Christ is a way of humility. As members of His body we are called, not to independence but to inter-dependence. We are dependent on each other. This is the way a “body” is made. We need each other.

It will take great humility for us to submit to each other in love and walk together. It means we will have to bear with one another in love and work to maintain unity. This is by no means for the fait of heart. It is easier to just do what you want and forget others. But I do not believe that we will not grow up that way and we definitely will not extend the Kingdom of God that way.

It takes great humility to be vulnerable with others.

I know that it has been a challenge for me to admit that I need others. There is a part of my personality that just wants to soldier on and not let anyone know what I am going through. But I have found that It takes great vulnerability to admit your struggles to someone else. However, if we truly believe that together we are stronger then we must admit that we do need each other.

Again we see here that we are to clothe ourselves with humility towards each other. And as we humble ourselves, God give us grace.

God gives grace to those who will humble themselves.

Pride and arrogance cause us to hide our weaknesses for fear we will be judged or ridiculed. But anything that is hidden cannot be addressed and the unexposed is the unhealed. We must let down our walls and open up to others if we want to walk in healing and in unity.

Humility is often mistaken for weakness. However humility is more about knowing your strength and feeling no need to prove it to anyone. Humility is bridled strength.

Humility and vulnerability will produce great strength in us and help us to grow stronger spiritually.

Maintaining the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace takes work. We will have to walk in humility, preferring others over ourselves and our own opinions if we want to do this. It is sometimes hard work to maintain unity. Many things seek to steal our unity and threaten to divide us. It takes work to resolve these things and it takes humility from each of us to walk through hard times.

It seems it is much easier for some to simply pull away and divide rather than do the hard work of maintaining unity. Behold how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity sounds good however it is the unspoken work of getting to that place of dwelling together in unity that we often over look. Unity doesn’t just happen magically. We must choose it!

Can you humble yourselves and admit you need others in your life?