Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus...
...who humbled Himself
and became obedient to the point of death,
even the death of the cross.
(Philippians 2:5-8)
At a recent ministry conference in Oklahoma City, I enjoyed fellowship with old friends from other discipleship ministries around the country and made new friends for partnering in ministry.
One new friend, Cole, shared his vision for ministering to men with addictions. His own testimony of freedom from addiction gripped me. He had believed the lie that he needed vodka to face the world each day. Then he had to create more lies to maintain this addiction.
He testified of two keys that got him back to the good news of the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ:
Complete honesty born in complete humility
He said that when a man gets honest about his hurts, pain, guilt, shame, and pride, he unlocks the door to receive God's forgiveness. And if a man is in Christ, he has had forgiveness all along. All he needed to do was to humbly receive it.
Cole inspired me to ponder about humility.
FALSE HUMILITY
Pride goes before destruction.
(Proverbs 16:18)
False humility is a mask of self-pity in the presence of people. This humility is actually pride in disguise. This humility effectively says to others, "Look at poor little me. It's up to you to make me feel loved. And if you don't, you're one reason for the shape I'm in."
This humility makes a mockery of the cross of Christ where true love is supremely demonstrated.
HONEST HUMILITY
Humble yourself in the presence of the Lord
and He will lift you up.
(James 4:10)
Honest humility is dropping masks in the presence of God. And whatever is born in the presence of God is lived out in the presence of others for God's glory.
Cole's testimony is much needed in the body of Christ:
When a person understands through humbled and honest eyes that God's forgiveness is real, he is changed forever.
I experienced this truth for the first time at age 40 when my drinking, born in pride, brought me to a place of brokenness where I came to the end of me and found the beginning of Him!
I just had not known how to surrender my will because I had been lying to myself for so long. It was only at the foot of the cross, in total honesty and humility, that God gave me the desire to do it.
It happened one amazing day out on a country road by myself with God. Covered in humility, I cried out to Him for truth for the first time. My dammed up emotions were released and I became so free I kept walking for miles!
Now Cole ministers the truth of Christ to many.
CLOSING
God gives grace to the humble.
(James 4:6)
All of us have some level of addiction due to sinful habits formed in the past. All of us need God's grace to grant us the privileges to be humbled at the cross of Christ and to be honest in the presence of God.
Grace & peace to you this week!
Honest Humility
