Humility

Philippians 2:1-11
What is humility or 'being humble'? I think it's not merely being 'not proud'. The bible tells us what true humility is:

5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

6Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

7but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

8And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself and became obedient to death--

even death on a cross!

9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place

and gave him the name that is above every name,

10that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.

From this short passage, I think humility is being willing to forsake your status, class, power, abilities, rights, priviledges for the sake of someone else's welfare. Simple definition, but it's a tall order. Humility is not a gift, it's a choice.

Humility is when a young and beautiful woman, who is the wife of a rich man, and a leader in church, cleaned up an old lady who is incontinent and has soiled her pants as well as the beautiful woman's car seat.

Humility is when a man who loves a woman so much that he was willing to hold on to the relationship despite countless obstacles he faced. Humility is when instead of giving up, he learned to forgive and love, and build up a good relationship with those who have hurt him.

Humility is when someone chooses to not do something he/she enjoys because he/she knows that it will cause unhappiness to someone he/she loves.

Humility is coming before the Father and telling Him that you are willing to give up the rights to your own life over to him.

These are real life accounts of acts of humility I have seen with my own eyes. But yet, they pale in comparison to what Jesus has done for us...

Jesus displayed the ultimate act of humility...he gave up His position and right as a King and suffered the most cruel form of torture and death. Every stripe he bore and every humiliation he suffered was a choice. He was not like any human who is powerless when bound in chains...He is also God who could have at any moment, struck those soldiers who tortured to him death. BUT he didn't. Instead He gave up his right to destroy them to go through the tortures, just so that they may have a chance to live.

Considering what He has given up so that we may have life, isn't it ironic that while living the life that He has redeemed for us, we can't even give up an hour of TV, an hour of shopping, a weekend of partying, just to spend time with him?

Yet, humility is when God still chooses to love us despite our ungratefulness.

Oh Lord, teach me to be humble before You. Teach me to value You over this life that You have given to me. Teach me to live in humility. Amen.