Humility and Others-centeredness

Transcript:

Hello! This is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective!

What does a humble person look like? If you ran into a truly humble person, what would be their standout characteristic? Would they go on and on, trying to prove or show off their humility? Or would they be timid and withdrawn, displaying a sense of self-hatred?

No, none of these at all.

Remember, the Lord Jesus was “gentle and humble of heart”. Did He operate this way?

So, what does a humble person look like?

I think C.S. Lewis gives us some insight in his classic book Mere Christianity. Listen to what He says:

“Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody.

Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him.

If you do dislike him, it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.”

~C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Jesus models such humility by the attitude he had toward us. In humility, He did not use his status to impress us, but to empty Himself for us. His humility flowed from a contented heart that connected to the heart of others.

And that’s something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

~ Philippians 2:3-11 (ESV)