Focal Passages: Philippians 2:1-5, 13-15
No one wants to feel like a doormat. Our egos can scarcely handle feeling cheated or left out. Being in last place is never our ideal. So when we hear words like humility, we might cringe. It might bring about fears of being lesser or being overlooked.
One inkling of being slighted by another person and we are already on the defense. But what if that’s not really the definition of humility? What if the Bible paints another picture of humility entirely?
Philippians 2 tells us we should consider others better than ourselves. How do we do this? By putting their interests ahead of our own. This seems countercultural to us. We are so used to being told to look out for and care for ourselves. While caring for ourselves is not wrong in itself, if we don’t also look out for the needs of others, then we are not living as Christ did.
The truth is, no one was more humble than Jesus. While we were still sinners with no thought of trying to please God, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Scripture also says that we should do all things without grumbling and complaining. This has to do with our attitude toward others. Even if we do master the discipline of recognizing the needs of others, if we do it with a bad attitude then it’s not worth much at all.
If Jesus can look out for the needs of the world by dying on the cross, then surely He will give us the grace to care for one another in humility.