Humbleness is something to strive for as it pleases God who dislikes prideful behavior.
Jesus demonstrated His humility when He washed the feet of His disciples despite having every right to be an assertive and charismatic ruler who would have ruled over them with honor and splendor.
Table of Contents
1. God is not proud
The Bible emphasizes humility as an invaluable virtue. It stands in stark contrast to egotism, where individuals think highly of themselves and seek recognition and praise for their achievements. Humility involves placing others before yourself without necessarily betraying weakness; biblical humility finds its source in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross and how God interacts with us: giving grace and blessing those who humble themselves while resisting and mocking those who arrogate (Proverbs 16:25).
Arrogant people fail to acknowledge that they are creatures created in God’s image, failing to see themselves as belonging on an equal plane as other living things and needing God for everything they require. By contrast, humble men understand their place among creation as equal and recognize God as the source of all their blessings rather than trying to elevate themselves above them by boasting.
God desires for each individual to express humility as part of receiving God’s blessings and showing love towards others. Love of neighbor as self is seen by Him as evidence of both humility and godliness.
Jesus set an incredible example of humility by taking on human form, taking up serving roles, being born from human mothers and eventually suffering a humiliating death on a cross – all so we could be saved from sin and hell.
Jesus could have brought fire from heaven down upon His accusers or turned them into chickens; yet He did not do this because it would have made Him proud. Instead, His greatest act of humility was washing His disciples’ feet.
Jesus was an example of humility, and we should follow in his footsteps by acting humbly ourselves. We should put others before ourselves and do whatever possible to assist them; additionally we should refrain from engaging in prideful behaviors such as self-applause, boasting and rudeness.
2. God is not self-righteous
Self-righteousness can be defined in the Bible as a belief in one’s moral superiority, which leads to arrogance and pride while neglecting others in need. Self-righteousness should never be confused with true righteousness which comes only through Christ; self-righteousness is a sin which leads to prideful behaviors and can cause people to ignore others who need assistance.
God is not arrogant; rather He is full of compassion and kindness. Even though He knows He is righteous, He chose the path of humility for our sake so that we might be saved. Rather than demanding we follow Him as an earthly ruler or prince would do, He came as an innocent Sacrifice Lamb offering His life for all mankind to see the way to salvation. He could have chosen a life of wealth or royalty, yet instead chose an existence among ordinary citizens in an obscure town where an oppressive king would go to any lengths to eliminate Him as a threat. Jesus could have chosen to die gloriously, yet instead chose a horrific death through crucifixion to atone for our sins, crimes, and great wickedness that He did NOT commit – all for the love He holds dearest in His heart for His children. He did it all because He loved them more than Himself.
Christian believers are called upon to emulate Christ, which means embracing humility. Humility doesn’t involve bowing before others or thinking yourself superior, but rather being free of pride and arrogance; rather it means prioritizing others over yourself when using gifts, resources and rights for their benefit instead of your own gain; while accepting any consequent humiliation.
Many misunderstand what humility means, thinking it means being uncertain of themselves or uncertain of their decisions. Biblical humility comes from God the Holy Spirit and should not be confused with uncertainty or indecision. Hedging your bets or taking an uncertain approach are not signs of humility but instead show lack of faith in His word.
3. God is not self-centered
The Bible instructs all Christians to embrace humility. Humility is an attitude of the heart which allows us to listen attentively, speak only when necessary and exercise self-control even under trying circumstances. People who truly exercise humility do not let others take advantage of them but instead recognize their spiritual needs and work towards being filled up by Him.
Jesus Christ stands as an excellent biblical example of humility. As He took human form and took on the role of servant to obey His Father in all things (Philippians 2:5-11), this shows true humility is not simply self-depreciation or inferiority complex but rather a mindset which seeks to serve other people through Jesus.
God was a model of humility throughout His incarnation and subsequent death and resurrection, being the source of all creation. Though deserving all glory as Creator God, in incarnation He would often be misunderstood and misrepresented – frequently accused of blasphemy or ignored due to His perfect obedience towards Father.
At this point, the Bible warns believers to avoid arrogance and pride as these can lead to deception (1 Peter 5:8-9). God humbles those who surrender their rights over to Him so He may glorify Himself through them. Koinonia (communion) means living together with similar mindsets so we may share His love among ourselves.
The Bible emphasizes the significance of love among believers for church unity. Paul encouraged believers to unite as one spirit and judge one another; self-centered individuals cannot reach this state of unity with other Christians, while humble ones will readily accept others’ good deeds, serve them more often, and favor their needs above ours – in Jesus’ name!
4. God is not self-important
God is the Creator of all things, with absolute power and authority over the entire universe. He understands everything that has ever taken place or will take place; He comprehends cosmology, astronomy, geology, biology, chemistry physics computer science medicine law arts sociology as well as every other field of knowledge you could possibly think of – but most importantly He comprehends spiritual realm with all of its mysteries and unknowns.
Though He is powerful and knows all things, God displays humility. According to 1 Peter 5:7, Christians should follow His example. Jesus Christ set the perfect example here by making Himself of no significance despite having all power of being God incarnate – choosing instead to put off that glory by becoming human instead of dying on a cross for our benefit!
Though He could have rendered those who falsely accused Him mute or sent them reeling backward, He stood firm, accepting endless taunts, vicious beatings and the ultimate humiliation of being nailed to a wooden cross as punishment for His actions.
He allows His children to sin in various ways, yet He waits patiently for them to repent before acting against them. He does this because He loves His children and wants them to turn back toward Him; He knows full well that His punishment of wicked people will far outstrip anything we could imagine in this lifetime.
Last, but certainly not least, we witness His humility through how He communicates with humanity. Though prophets were given, Scripture shows clearly that God prefers communicating through Jesus Christ – the only time any member of the Trinity ever communicated directly with humanity (though still rare and rarer still today) when communicating directly. Furthermore, when He did interact directly with humans He acted not arrogant or proud but patient and humble and taught His disciples the same qualities.
