Grace To The Humble

Craig Eakright

“Humility, that low, sweet root, from which all heavenly virtues shoot.”

- Thomas Moore

Oxford’s dictionary defines humility as:

“A modest or low view of one's own importance.”

Webster defines it as:

“Not proud, arrogant or assertive.”

Neither of these definitions seem to be consistent with what we read and observe in Scripture. For example, in John 13:3-5 we read,

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet...”

We see here that Jesus, being perfectly humble, had neither a low nor high view of himself. Instead, his view coincided with that of the Father’s. Knowing exactly who He was in the Father’s mind, Jesus confidently, and assertively lived the life He came to live, and gave the life He came to give.

True humility is agreeing with, living confidently and assertively in, and stepping into the truth about who God says you are.

“Humility is the freedom to stop trying, or pretending, to be what we’re not.”

- John Ortberg

Next week we will look at how to build upon the foundation of humility.