Regardless of how much we talk about humility, this one kingdom factor is as tough to master as would be trying to corner a hundred cats each wearing roller skates. I feel that if I could ever master this for one week I would have reason to be very proud of myself. (uh-huh)
We sing out to one another in church, Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord. Each of us respects another who lives in meekness. Plus, the greatest command as well as the second one can only be obeyed by individuals who have no regard for self first.
May I ask why this concept is so hard for many of us? And, would you mind if I take a stab at the answer?
Humility is elusive because we often have a self-installed spotlight above our heads assuring each of us that what we think, how we appear, and where we hob and nob is the first matter of every conversation. To amplify this situation, we have such a strong tendency to believe that our perception of any situation is the right one.
Some of us are crafty enough to use humility as a front in order to blanket our inwardly ambitious audacity; but the truth beneath our low-keyed approach is adamant. We are right, we know it, and we firmly believe the others are clueless. This is nothing but ego in pseudo-religious garb trying to appear cooperative while manipulating our way by quiet managerial control.
One of Paul's more thrilling calls is for us to engage beyond our imaginations in the God of glory (Eph. 3:20). I love this text. I am always in need of its perpetual reminder. The preceding verses are just as potent. The Holy Spirit working directly in our lives to the measurement and style of Jesus.
Yet, we must note our position to approach such a calling. For this reason, I bow my knees before the Father...:14.
In prayer we knock on doors because we have not the strength to pry them open on our own. Furthermore, we don't have the intelligence to know which doors. We take our hard-earned dollars and place them in a Sunday morning plate as congregational voices send God a message that our greatest earth-power won't work as well as Spirit-power. The big stories of the Bible cause our best advice and strongest insight to wilt in authentic humility.
No. Ours is not to be the mission to out-smart or out-labor or out-maneuver anything and then call it kingdom advantage. Our role is to be on our knees while open to the Spirit working among us. We are not to sit in rooms with brothers and sisters with a secret sneer at their incompetence compared to our quite capable self-evaluation.
We are to do the work of God with knees bowed; not once, not in the serious stuff; but always. It seems, and I surely could be wrong, that education and effort and funds and expert leadership are never what the church needs first.
It will always be that humility lifts the windows of our hearts so that the Son can once again shine in.
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