GroshLink

On Tuesday, our morning crew contrasted false humility with true humility. A number of images of false humility come to mind

1. How we downplay the affirmations of our appearance/beauty/fashion (Oh, it's nothing. Really, do I look good?), when it is really something in which we place a lot of time/energy and enjoy the recognition.
2. How we consider ourselves as the source of helpfulness in the lives of others, when only really God can bring joy/peace/wholeness to those in need.
3. How we are unable to let God be in control, even when we declare that we're nothing and need Him.
4. False confession of sin to alleviate our own conscience or to gain power in particular situation

Here are some texts we considered, Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 23:1-14, I Samuel 2:1-11, Jeremiah 31:18-20, James 3:13-18.

True humility flows from our dependence on God. The One who watches over us like the a perfect Father would watch over His children (note: this is so hard to imagine. The ability to know how to perfectly care for one's children and see the direction which their actions/words/thoughts will take them), even though they are found to be seeking their own way. Even willing to come to earth in human form, to offer grace, but receive judgement and rejection by His own creation/likeness/stewards. To even go through a separation of some form within His own being and pronounce judgment upon Himself in some way . . . finding the Son the perfect sacrifice, One who lived in humility and reversed the curse by not deciding to discern good and evil on His own . . . but with a pure heart trusting, living within the Father's true understanding/perspective/framework on the world. By not grasping for equality with God, but to be a servant.

Grant us grace to be humbled, to acknowledge we don't know everything, to set aside comparativism/boasting/envy and encourage those in our midst, even confess (and pay the price for) when we fall short. May we see the fruit of order, righteousness, and bold, godly living as responsible people of God (counter-cultural to the our fallen nature, ideas, relationships, and structure) emerge from humility, no matter the cost, lived out in our context.