7 DECEMBER 2023

 

Humility

“He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave.” (Luke 1:48)

One of my favourite stories concerns a group of young kids who built a treehouse for themselves. When the treehouse was completed, they sat down together and drafted up the “rules” for belonging to their treehouse club:

Rule One: “Nobody act too big.”

Rule Two: “Nobody act too small.”

Rule Three: “Everybody act medium.”

While this may serve as a charming description of humility for children, to be humble in the Biblical sense meant “to be brought low”.

It sounds quite negative, but for those who worshiped God, humility was regarded as being a positive virtue.

You see, the truly humble person is the one who comes to God just as they are, acknowledging their dependence on Him.

This sort of humility is seen in Mary when she describes herself as being a “humble bondslave” in Luke 1:48. She regards herself as a humble servant of God, surrendered completely to His will. Nevertheless, she perceives that God has also “favoured” her, a woman richly blessed and upon whom God has freely poured His grace.

Humility caused Mary to surrender to God’s will, the Saviour was born, and she was blessed.

And there is the humility of Jesus Who,
“Though He was God,
did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, He took the humble position of a slave,
humbled Himself and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:6-8)

Humility caused Jesus to surrender to His Father’s will, salvation from sin became a reality, and He was blessed, because “God elevated Him to the place of highest honour.” (Philippians 2:9)

And when we humbly surrender ourselves to Jesus, we are blessed for He showers us with His grace!

Read Philippians 2:6-8 and reflect on what it cost Jesus to humbly surrender to His Father’s will.