“Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”” 1 Peter‬ ‭5:5‬

I want to talk briefly on humility. Why it’s important to God, and what real humility looks like.

Pride is a sneaky little liar

In most of our churches in the west, we have this idea that we’re still sinners. Almost as if it brings God more glory. God does not take pleasure in you believing something contrary to what He says. And that’s really what pride is. It’s thinking that you can do life without grace. Very simply, it’s believing you have the answer in yourself, or that you are the way you are. Believing that you are a worm, or a sinner, is not humble. It’s actually false humility. A sneaky form of pride, because you aren’t agreeing with what God says you are.

Great, so with that established, I’m going to say something that sounds like it’s in opposition to the first statement. How do you humble yourself so that you may receive grace?

““Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”” Luke‬ ‭18:10-14‬

“Wait, didn’t you say that we aren’t sinners? Then what about this tax collector? Wouldn’t proclaiming my sin be humble?”

No, the way into forgiveness is repentance. God will never deny a broken and contrite heart. The truth is, before Jesus, we were sinners. We had nothing to offer but rags, and Jesus wore those rags. Then He extended His hand to those who repented and proclaimed “you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus” (see 2 Corinthians 5:21) The issue here is not so much what the Pharisee or Tax collector said, it is their heart. You see, the Pharisee believed that he was righteous. He proclaimed aloud all of the good things that he did. He boasted in his work. The tax collector knew he needed forgiveness. He was truly humbling himself before God. Notice what Jesus said though, he who humbles himself will be exalted. He wants to exalt us, but not on our terms.

To a person such as the tax collector, grace is bestowed freely. Grace is God’s power to give you the ability to do things outside of your normal ability. Forgiveness was expensive, and through grace, it is given to you. The way to grace is humility.

True humility

Now that you are forgiven and in Christ, believe everything He says about you. You are born again. You have a new Father. You are seated with Christ in heavenly places. But for the grace of God, you would have none of these things. This in fact will create a humble heart in you, when you realize that you did nothing special and nothing to earn this wonderful inheritance.

True humility says “yes God, everything you say about me is true.”

Humility will empower you to be confident in God and the power of His grace.

“…‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ Says the LORD of hosts.” ‭‭Zechariah‬ ‭4:6‬

I hope this encouraged you! Be blessed.