Maybe you've been curious (or, perhaps, not :) ) how my whole focus on humility is going so far this year. It's been a struggle, for sure. It's amazing how many corners of my life are infected with pride and how often I don't even put up a fight against it. It's been so valuable, though, to grow more conscious of this and to submit this area of my life in particular to God through prayer.
This week I was studying Philippians 2:1-11. Among other things, this passage spells out what our attitude should be, namely, that of Christ Jesus. If there was ever a person to have just cause for a sense of pride, for passing judgment, for championing self "rights" it was him - the King of the universe. But he didn't. He let all of that go. He limited himself to a state of humanity and, therefore, humility. He came to serve, not control. Love, not punish. Rescue, not condemn. And he desired for those of us who follow him to do the same. As Paul explains in Philippians: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests but also the interests of others." (vs. 3-4) How often do we operate under our own wants, desires, comfort? How easy is it to justify our perceived entitlement? It goes against the very grain of our human nature to put others first. Yet if we desire to witness unity and peace, it begins with ourselves. Our humility. Seeing others as worthy of preferential treatment and sacrificing our selfishness and vanity.
I have such a long way to go. But everyday I thank God for opening my eyes to this part of myself and ask him for the strength to kill this part of my sinful nature, replacing it more and more with His likeness.
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