Thought on Humility

I think humility is somethign that is one of those things that is hard to attain, harder to maintain and sometimes is lost in the business of life or the arrogance of theology.

Robert Morrison said that the great fault in our missions is that nobody likes to be second

One verse used often i think to justify lack of humility is Philippians 4:13

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

This verse is often pulled out of context and used in some triumphalistic manner “I can do anything cause God is on my side”. Paul’s ‘everything’ is not ulimited, as if Paul could say

“I can leap a building with a single bound, cause I am a Christians and God is on my side”  And in the same way this verse should not be pulled out by well-meaning but –ill-informed Christians who are trying to manipulate each other into doing something they really don’t think they should do:

“But Mrs Brown, you can’t say ‘NO’ to our invitation to teach ten-year-old boys just because you have never taught Sunday school before, or just because you feel you have not gifts or calling or interest in this area. After all Pauls teaches us that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength”

This is horrible. Paul’s everything is constrained by the context. His point is that whatever the circumstances in which he finds himself, there with the rich and the powerful or with the poor and the powerless, whether preaching to substantial crowds or incarcerated in a filthy prison, he has learned to cast himself on God and be content. He can do all things, everything that God assigns him to do, through the one who gives him strength. Let the gospel advance; let god’s will be done in me and through me, Paul is saying: I am content, for I can trust the one who invariably strengthens me to do what he assigns me.

Paul is a humble servant of the Lord and humility is something that he works on and strives for through out his life.

Paul’s progression of his view of humilty:

Early on “Least of the Apostles” 1 Cor 15:9
“Less than all of Godss people” (Eph3:8)
“Christ came to save sinners of who I am the worst” (1 Tim 1:15)

How do we work on humility and attain it.

William Law said: Let every day be a day of humility; condescend to all the weaknesses and infirmities of your fellow-creatures, cover their frailties, love their excellences, encourage their virtues, relieve their wants, rejoice in their prosperities, compassionate their distress, receive their friendship, overlook their unkindness, forgive their malice, be a servant of servants, and condescend to do the lowliest of offices to the lowest of mankind.