Why is it important that we learn about pride and humility? Because humility is a prerequisite for receiving any benefits from Christ. Here is the same truth in the negative: pride is a barrier to receiving any benefits from Christ. Pride is that cork in the bottle under the waterfall of grace. It keeps the grace from entering. Humility is admitting you are needy, removing the cork.
The proud love to be accommodated by the best – the gourmet meal, the VIP treatment. Leftovers would be an insult. On the other hand, humble starving souls long for crumbs off the table, or under the table. Not a crumb is wasted on the humble. Humility is a prerequisite for receiving benefits from Christ.
God will test the humility of His servants:
- Adam’s first test was a test of humility. Will he believe God, or will he assert himself to gain what he perceives as greatness – becoming like God Himself by eating of the forbidden fruit?
- Jesus’ humility was tested in the wilderness for 40 days before His mission. Will He go the way of humility or will He assert Himself as king?
- Moses’ humility was tested in the desert 40 years before he came to the burning bush.
- Paul’s faith was tested by his “thorn in the flesh” and the lesson he learned was to see his weakness as his strength. It forced him to depend upon God.
- Every man’s faith will be tested to see if we depend upon ourselves or upon God. This is the test of humility. The Gospel itself is a test of humility. Will we trust God for salvation, or believe we are good enough to stand before God on judgment day?
Humility has such a practical side to it. It is so mundane. It shows up in the little things. In a marriage relationship, it is humility that helps us to admit we are wrong. It is also humility that makes us easier to live with when we are right.
Knowing God makes us humble; knowing ourselves keeps us humble. True humility is not looking down on yourself but looking up to Christ.
Before God exalts a person, He humbles him. If you want that process to be less painful, humble yourself before God so He doesn’t have to humiliate you.
(JIM HAMMOND)