It’s not easy to be humble. I don’t mean the humility that refrains from boasting about one’s accomplishments, but the humility that comes from recognizing how helpless and utterly dependent we are on God. In Western culture, it is a virtue to be self-reliant. We men especially do not like to ask for help, although I see an increasing number of women afflicted with the same malady. We like to think we can handle whatever comes our way and can figure out how to solve our problems.
But that’s not humility; it’s a manifestation of pride. What’s true is we can do nothing without Christ (John 15:5). We can’t breathe, think, talk or act except for the abilities He provides. While we like to think of ourselves as self-sufficient, without God, we are nothing but deficient (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 3:5).
Jesus kicked off His longest recorded sermon by explaining that true blessing comes from being poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3). That’s another way of telling us to be humble in the sense of recognizing our desperate need for God’s provision and care (Psalm 40:17; Isaiah 66:2). Even a cursory reading of scripture reveals it’s not the loud and brash that enter the Kingdom of Heaven but the meek and gentle. I’ve never been fond of the word “meek” because it connotes weakness to me. There again, we see pride rearing its head. No one wants to project weakness, yet the Apostle Paul was wise enough to understand that it’s only when we are weak that we can experience the strength of Christ in us (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).
To be humble means being wise enough to recognize we can’t live the life God intends us to live without surrendering to the Holy Spirit who resides in everyone who acknowledges Jesus as Lord and believes on His name (Romans 8:9-11). Try to live a godly life your way in your strength. You will fall flat on your face every time. It’s like marching into battle naked. You won’t live long and you’ll die in disgrace.
From a spiritual standpoint, every one of us is bankrupt. No matter how much we work at being good, it will never amount to anything. Only God is good (Matthew 19:17). We must never forget that without God, we can do nothing (John 15:5). That is the beginning of humility, and therefore, the beginning of blessings. We are weak, but He is strong (Psalm 46:1; Psalm 73:26; Isaiah 40:29).
As you embark on your day, be humble. Nothing other than your complete surrender impresses God. Do the work He gives you to do, but do it in recognition of who you are. We are God’s slaves, compelled to serve Him out of our intense love for Him and the realization that to live for anything or anyone else is meaningless (Romans 6:22). This life is not about you, how much money you do or don’t have, or how much success you achieve. None of it matters, none of it counts, and no one cares. Only what we do for Christ will last, so keep your eyes on Him and off the things of this world (1 Corinthians 3:13-14; Colossians 3:2; 1 John 2:17). Be humble, never seek glory for yourself, but seek only to glorify our Master, our Savior, and our King (1 Corinthians 10:31). Do this, and you will be blessed (James 4:10).