It's Hard to be Humble

      When I was younger, this song was actually popular.  Am I showing my age a little? (I probably am)  Well humility is one of those things that people rarely think about directly, but it is a character trait people will or will not see in you, whether you think about it or not.
 
    So stop for a second.  Are you a boastful person?  Do you talk about yourself or your life more than anything else?  Most people answer no to these two questions and then move on, but sometimes, pride is not what we think.  When I used to think of pride, I thought of a man with his nose in the air looking down on people.  But really, that is only one form of pride. 

     Take a day and as you speak, listen to your conversations.  What is the topic of those conversations?  Are they about what you've done, or what you need/want or what you are going to do?  Is it about your ministry, your prayer life, your time in the Word, your good deeds?  All of these can be forms of pride even though they can appear spiritual, but being self centered is the biggest obstacle to giving yourself for Christ.

     Pride is one of those things that can wage war with humility.  Pride can cause you to miscalculate and misstep and walk into an area you are not ready for.  Proverbs makes the following statement:

Proverbs 11:2

     When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

      I believe humility falls hand in hand with wisdom.  Humility is one of those attributes that give you insight to know who you are and who you are not.  When pride is absent, a person will know when they need help and they will seek it and be humble enough to find it.

It is when we stop thinking of ourselves, talking about ourselves and living for ourselves that we make room for Christ's purposes in our lives. It is when we really and truly make room for humility.
 
     However, there is another form of pride.  It is one when you focus intently on yourself in a negative aspect.  It's a little different however.  When a person has no self confidence in anything they do and when some are regularly down on themselves, the focus, like a proud person, becomes centered on the person rather than others.
 
     But really, if Christians are honest, some degrade themselves thinking they are being humble.  There is a misconception that if we make ourselves appear helpless, then we will be in line with scripture.  But it's not the life Jesus is inviting us to.  Jesus has invited us to live a victorious life. 

     Let's stop a second.  There are "claim it" branches of faith that will tell you a victorious life is when God gives you "Your Best Life Now" in all the desires you could want for yourself.  Victorious living has been victimized as people thinking that God is Santa and will give them all they want.  That theory does not line up with our purpose as directed in scripture.

     When we set aside proud ambitions and when we step beyond internal pain and live our lives not for ourselves, but for God and others, the focus is away from us.  The victory is with those you have brought to Christ, those you have shepherded and lead closer to Him and those you have kept from stumbling.  It is when God has used you to fulfill His purposes on the earth.  That is the real victory of your life.

     So the challenge today is:  Be humble.  Make room for humility in your life.  Lift others up in conversation and action.  Show your concern for their troubles.  Share Christ with them not only in words, but in humble actions that make people question what is different about you.  You can't look any different than the world if you are living for yourself or talking about yourself all the time.  The world is already doing this.  To glorify Christ, you life, in deepest humility, has to be about Him.