Grace–Simple. Profound. - Grace And HumilityНамуна

Humility

How do you grow in humility? I know of two ways. One of them is hard and the other one stinks. The first and hard one, is to value humility so much that you develop a distaste for pride and start seeking it intentionally. The second and stinky one is to be crushed by the world and end up humiliated that your pride is flattened. The better way is to value humility by seeking it intentionally and seeing what it can bring in your life.

Humility is the active rejection of pride in all of its forms and the active pursuit of the character of Jesus. Humility is active. You have to turn your mind on to see those things. Ask yourself: where does pride exist in me? If Jesus is anything in a word, humble has got to be at the top of the list. He who did not consider equality with God but humbled himself to take the form of a servant, not only a servant but One who died on the cross in great humiliation. 

He’s the King of the universe, nothing was created apart from Him, not the floor you’re standing on, or the air in your lungs, and yet He says, “I did not come to be served but to serve.” Jesus is humility incarnated. 

 There are many ways we can be intentional and seek humility. We can bear someone else’s praise while being forgotten. Many times, the opportunity arises, and we want to protest and say “Me! It’s because of me!” We can remain open to questioning when someone challenges us. We don’t always have to be right. We can also stop comparing ourselves to others to feel better about ourselves. Comparison will allow pride to thrust itself through soil and grow fruit. Don’t allow it. 

Grace reminds us of who we are in Christ. When we look at our life and understand that everything is by His grace, it changes our hearts and minds to radically approach the relationships in our life. You didn’t earn it. You don’t deserve it. We were all at the bottom and Jesus saved us. Work on yourself and reject pride in your life. Jesus at the end of His life, during the last supper with His friends, knelt down in front of every disciple to wash their feet. If our Savior, the God of the universe can do that, why wouldn’t we actively pursue the same approach to everyone in our life? Humility is a gift of God’s grace in your life. 

For more Grace – Simple. Profound. resources – podcasts with Scot Pollok, and a downloadable book – visit gsot.edu/simplegrace. The Grace Center for Spiritual Development at Grace School of Theology provides non-degree studies, live online bible study opportunities, and resources like this devotional.