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Understanding Humility
By Loren Chamberlain
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child and had him stand among them. And He said: “I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:1-4).
What Jesus was teaching His disciples is that true humility means to deny oneself, to accept a position of servant-hood, and to completely follow Him. Jesus wanted them to change their attitude toward greatness. Their minds were still preoccupied with the establishment of an earthly kingdom and they were seeking positions of advantage. Jesus used a child to help them overcome their self-centered attitude and to have servant attitudes, not being “childish” (arguing over petty issues) but “childlike,” with humble and sincere hearts.
Humility Defined
It is eye opening to find that we get the word “humus” from the word “humility”. According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary humility means the quality or state of being humble in spirit, freedom from pride or arrogance. Humus, on the other hand, speaks of earth or ground and is formed by the partial decomposition of vegetable or animal matter, the organic portion of soil. It is easy to see the connection between these two words. Any time I feel pride coming on I just remind myself that Adam and Eve were created from earth matter and I am just one of their offspring. I can soon feel pride and arrogance melt away like butter on a hot griddle, remembering that my human ancestors were made from the earth and I also am earthy, made also, we might say, from humus.
Even though we have now been reminded of our beginning makeup, we must also understand that humility is a deep awareness of unworthiness, not worthlessness! “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4). We are totally overcome by the awesomeness of the universe and we wonder how God could be concerned for people who so often are disappointing to Him.~ Yet, on the other hand, God created us only a little lower than Himself or the angels!~ So when we question ourselves about our worth as persons, we find that God considers us highly valuable.~ After all, we have great worth because we were created in the image and likeness of God bearing the stamp of the Creator. “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.~ Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground” (Genesis 1:26-27).
By comparing ourselves to God’s greatness we learn to respect God’s majesty. When we look at creation we can’t help but feel our smallness by comparison. There is nothing wrong with feeling small, in fact it is a healthy way to get back to reality, but God does not want us to dwell on our finiteness.~ Humility means proper respect for God, not self-deprecation.
Facets of Humility
There was a man by the name of Naaman, and he was known as a great hero. He was used to getting great respect, and when Elisha treated him like an ordinary man he was outraged. He wanted to be healed but the method Elisha told him would bring healing was far too simple for this proud man. Go and wash in the small dirty river of Jordan! No way!’ “Naaman’s servants went to him and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’?” (2 Kings 5:13).
There are times when people react in the same way towards God’s offer of forgiveness. Just to believe in Jesus Christ, repent, and be baptized is somehow too simple. It is not difficult enough; it just doesn’t seem heroic enough to just have eternal life in the Kingdom of God handed out freely. What Naaman had to do for his leprosy to be washed away is similar to what we must do to have our sin washed away—humbly accept God’s mercy. From the story of Naaman we learn how humility is good training in obedience, the clarifying of our dependence on God, and how humility challenges our pride. We must not let our reaction to the way of faith keep us from the cure we need the most.
If we are to serve others, humility is absolutely essential. Jesus warned people that it was not wise to rush to get the best seats at the Feast. One of the major problems of the world today is the eagerness of people to raise their social status by attempting to get ahead of others.~ They aim for prestige.~ However, Jesus made it clear that to gain a higher level of prestige we must look for a place where we can serve others. If God wants us to serve in a greater capacity, He will invite us to take a higher place.
Those who are truly humble people will compare themselves only with Christ, realize their sinfulness, and understand their limitations. They also will recognize their gifts and strengths and are willing to use them as Christ directs. Humility is not self-degradation; it is a realistic assessment and commitment to serve.
Life is a great lesson in humility; unfortunately, we may be quite old before we realize the truth in that statement! i
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