Possession 1: Humility

         Humility opens my eyes

             “He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Micah 6:8)

“Humility is to make a right estimate of one’s self.” C. H. Spurgeon

         

If you had to choose, would you rather be humbled or humiliated?  The first is a choice.  The second is a consequence.  Being humbled may be a bit painful; but never as painful as being humiliated.

Humility is the first principle of Following Effectively.  Without it you cannot grow, you cannot progress, you cannot reach your potential.  Without humility you can not fulfill what is required of you by God.  Without humility you cannot serve.

Humility is not thinking of yourself as less than you are.  It is not downplaying your strengths or focusing on your weaknesses.  It is being objective.  It is recognizing a strength you have and submitting authority of that strength, that ability, to someone else.  Think of Christ washing the feet of the disciples.  Think of His entire time here in the flesh as God incarnate:

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8, emphasis added)     

We are called to follow the example that Jesus set for us.  Humility leads to obedience, and obedience to the ultimate sacrifice of self.  Are we not called to do the same?  While we may not be called to a physical death we are most certainly called to a “dying of self.” 

Lord,

That we would humble ourselves before You, that we move forward with confidence in Your ability, that we offer up to You all that we are, and that we follow You wherever you may lead. 

Amen.

SDG