Embody Humility

As Christians, Jesus is our example for living; so it’s important that Jesus also described himself as humble. In the Greco-Roman world, this word had an almost a universally negative connotation. It dealt with lowliness or subservience. No one had any sort of positive way to think of these things.

But here, Jesus connected it to a lowliness of heart. Gentle humility in the life of Jesus was a willingness to be low and to consider others. This was deeply rooted in his heart and at the core of who he was. I would go so far as to say that humility shaped and influenced his gentleness. It was also the backdrop of his greatness.

This is what Jesus calls us to. He invites us to come share his yoke—there’s room for us there—to walk right beside him, learning his ways of gentleness and humility. The blessing in this is that we will not be crushed. We will experience a “perfect fit” because Jesus promises to carry anything and everything that is beyond what we can bear.

It’s important to point out that this is an exchange of yokes, not a removal of yokes.

We still carry burdens; we still have to walk through our fears and navigate the hurts of life. But the yoke of Jesus removes the crushing weight of fear and pain for something that is a good fit for our shoulders, so we can walk through the hurts of life and make it to the other side.

Reflect: How does Jesus’ example of humility teach me how to live? What does it mean for me to share his yoke?

Pray: Dear God, thank you for your Son, whose humble heart led him to the cross. May a day never pass when I do not remember this great sacrifice. Amen.