By God's grace,
humiliation is transformed
into humility.
I have a dear friend who, from the world's perspective, has lost everything. He has no car and no home and no money. During this transition, he is working manual labor jobs 10 to 12 hours a day, and most of the time 7 days a week.
However, from God's perspective, he has gained everything! He has hope. The world doesn't pay him much attention. But God has His gaze upon him and is lifting him up.
My friend hasn't whined over his current circumstances. He's a baby Christian growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ one day at a time. The world doesn't realize it, but he is reigning in life with Christ Jesus!
Things have not changed in our world. Even back in the days when Jesus walked the earth, there was no word in the language of the day (common Greek) for "humility as a virtue." Humility was only known as a vice. Humble people were looked down upon as scum of the earth.
The apostle Paul actually had to invent a word in his letter to the Philippians to communicate humility as a virtue.
This is one reason why Jesus and His gospel message was so radical to this world. He, being the very Son of God, called Himself "meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29)! And He calls us to be the same.
Imagine that. The world saw Christ as scum of the earth...the very earth He created for them! What sinful pride! What blind eyes! Such a need for salvation.
Be encouraged and humbled by the following historical examples of true humility, a most triumphant humility.
A multitude rose up against Paul and Silas
and tore their clothes off
and beat them with many stripes
and threw them into prison
and fastened their feet into stocks.
But at midnight Paul and Silas
were praying and singing hymns...
...and the jailer and his family were saved.
ACTS 16:22-34
The worldly onlookers would have understood had Paul and Silas moaned and groaned in the state they found themselves in, wallowing in self-pity, accusing each other for the mess they were in.
Yet what did they do? They humbly, not condescendingly, prayed and sang hymns! And many were saved, and God sent an earthquake to free them!
As a result, the Christian church was planted in Philippi. From there the gospel blazed across the European continent, through England, across the Atlantic Ocean, down the Eastern Seaboard, and into South Carolina!
For to you it has been granted
on behalf of Christ,
not only to believe in Him,
but also to suffer for His sake.
PHILIPPIANS 1:29
The early Christians in Rome refused to honor Caesar as Lord. They boldly and humbly stood their ground in proclaiming Jesus Christ as their Lord.
As a result, these Christians were led into the Coliseum as non-Christian onlookers watched them being fed to lions.
As the Christians were being led into the Coliseum, they lived out Acts 6:42, "rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His (Christ's) name."
Do you and I have such humility? In Christ we do. It's up to us to choose to appropriate it by faith as these fellow Christians surely did.
CLOSING
The supreme example of humiliation being transformed into triumphant humility is our Lord Jesus on His journey to the cross for you and for me.
Philippians 2:5 calls each of us to have this humble attitude of Christ. However, we cannot imitate His humble attitude. Christ's meekness is a fruit of the Spirit in our lives as we depend on His indwelling life.
As a result, we have the joy and privilege to grow in personally "knowing Christ in the fellowship of His sufferings" (Philippians 3:10).
Love,
PS, My pastor has requested I fill the pulpit Sunday morning, September 8, to speak on "The Source of Humility." I am profoundly humbled. It will be a blessing to partner with my pastor and to share God's Word with many precious people. The Lord has led me to share from Philippians 2:1-8.
Please pray for me!
Humility vs Humiliation
