Humility
5 Ways to Hone Your Humility
Have you ever met those people who are so endearing that you’re just drawn to them? They’re the people who when asked to volunteer quickly jump on the chance to serve others or give up telling you about their most recent vacation to listen to your story about your kids. These are the people who we immediately walk away from and say “I really like them!”
But what is it about them that makes them so likeable? Is it their charming smile? Their impeccable, laser-focused eye contact? Or their ability to make you feel like the only person in the room? For all the things they are and do, there’s one thing they’re not: prideful.
When someone willingly puts aside their desires to boost yours or they allow you to shine in the spotlight, they’re showing true humility. But how do they do that? Are these people born that way?
No! Humility is one area of spiritual growth that we must constantly pursue as it goes completely against our nature and our culture. But if you’re not sure how to start honing your humility, take a look at these five simple ways you can begin today…
1.) Take no offense
Think of offense as a present in the outstretched hand of the giver. Whether it’s a snide comment or an accusation, we have the ability to let that present stay in their hand. When you realize you have a choice in taking on that emotion or letting the other person keep it, you become free to say “no thanks” and walk away.
Also understanding that we are in a constant state of learning can help keep those feelings of “I’m always right” at bay. Being human means one thing for certain: we are bound to make mistakes. So why take offense at something we already know will happen?
Proverbs 19:11 says “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.” You hear that? We get glory when we decide to overlook those little offenses.
2.) Accept a lowly place
This can be the biggest opponent to pride. Our culture says “Take what you want! No one else is going to give it to you! You’re responsible for your success!” Having a Christ-like mindset is the antithesis of that thinking. We can be at peace knowing God sees our willingness to take on a servant attitude in the lowest of places.
When Jesus came to Earth, he wasn’t born a king or politician. He was a carpenter. So while society beckons us to self-promote, our rubrik encourages us to seek promotion from Christ.
Jesus drove this point home in Luke 14:7-11 “When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
3.) Routinely (and actively) confess your sins to God
There’s nothing that quells the campfire of pride quite like admitting your wrongs. There’s no one on Earth who can escape ‘falling short’. If you believe you are one of these people, please go back to the beginning of this article and read it again. Then once more for good measure.
Jesus uses another parable to illustrate this point in Luke 18:9-14: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get."
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Starting to see a pattern? Jesus flips worldly ideals on their heads by raising up the humble and humbling the proud. When we humble ourselves before God, we will be exalted. As crazy as it sounds, that’s literally God’s promise to us! So take heart in knowing your humility isn’t unseen.
4.) Share your struggles with others
Another great tool to keep your pride in check is sharing your struggles with other people. In 2020, the allure of a perfectly curated life has never been stronger but another thing that those endearing and relatable people do is admit when they’ve made a mistake. Whether it’s apologizing to someone they hurt or letting others know that they’ve sinned, it’s biblical to admit your wrongdoings.
James 5:16 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”
One of our founding fathers even kept a written record of his most grievous mistakes… You might not have to keep a detailed ledger of your shortcomings but it’s a good exercise to acknowledge our failures.
As Christians, we also have a huge responsibility on the flip side of that coin. When someone shares their struggles or tries to make amends, we are called to have grace and withhold judgement.
5.) Submit to authority
There’s no getting around this one. Even the President of the United States has a boss so if that position still has an authority, so do we.
If you’ve ever had an employer or a boss who abuses your talents or your time, it can be difficult to “submit”, especially when you can see ways they’re wrong. Nevertheless, the Bible is explicit in this instruction: 1 Peter 2:18 says “...in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”
If you enjoyed this article, make sure to check out our other blog “The importance of Prayer” as well as our other posts. Thank you for supporting Rock Springs Church!
