Who Needs Humility?

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The way Americans view humility is interesting. We dislike arrogance, yet people support a brash candidate who calls a Vietnam POW a “loser” because he was shot down and spent 5 years in a prison camp. We applaud modesty, yet enjoy watching the famous boxer Muhammad Ali exclaim “I am the greatest.” Seems we can’t help but ask: who needs humility?

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I’m pondering this incongruity about humility. Is it good? Is it important? Is it bad? Is it harmful?

Biblically speaking, there is no confusion. The Bible is clear about who needs humility. We all do!

God says that humility isn’t just a suggestion, it is absolutely vital and the key to true greatness. 

Today I’d like to share 3 answers to the question:  Who needs humility?

01. We all need humility if we’re going to be truly great.

“The one who is least among all of you is the one who is greatest.” (see Luke 9:46-48 GW)

“Whoever wants to be most important among you will be a slave for everyone.” (Mark 10:44 GW)

These statements might seem contradictory, but they are biblical truth.

They have been confirmed by researchers.

Jim Collins in Good to Great has called the very best business leaders Level 5 Leaders. They are leaders who build enduring greatness through a paradoxical blend of personal humility and professional will. Collins points out that this is often in opposition to thinking that a great CEO has an extreme, egocentric personality.

Collins and his colleagues are only affirming what the Bible has been teaching for thousands of years! To be the greatest we must be humble.

02. We all need humility if we’re going to keep from falling.

“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18 ESV)

Jesus said “Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.” (see Luke 14:7-11 GW)

This reason we need humility can be demonstrated in history and in everyday experience.

Hitler went against the advice of his generals and arrogantly continued the battle of Stalingrad even though the generals begged him to accept defeat. As a result, 100,000 additional German and Russian lives were lost at Stalingrad!

The same kind of thing happens when we refuse to admit our way might be wrong and therefore make mistakes:

• We overestimate our physical prowess and get injured.

• We refuse to heed warnings about texting and driving and crash.

• We misjudge our financial capacity and overspend.

But when we’re humble, we humbly listen to wise counsel and avoid mistakes.

03. We all need humility if we’re going to please our Lord.

“Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (see 1 Peter 5:5-7 KJV)

“So if I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you must wash each other’s feet. I’ve given you an example that you should follow.” (see John 13:12-17 GW)

“Love each other as brothers and sisters and honor others more than you do yourself.” (Romans 12:10 CEV)

Even if we think that meekness equals weakness, Christ-followers must be humble, submissive servants who honor others above ourselves.

This isn’t just a good idea, it’s God’s command! 

My inclination is to:

• Be served rather than to serve

• Be honored rather than honor

• Work to rise in status instead of lowering myself

But no matter how I might feel, God’s Word is clear. My task is:

• To serve as a slave of others

• To honor others above myself

• To take a lower seat than I think I deserve

The result? When I leave it in God’s hands, He has told us that “Those who honor themselves will be humbled, but people who humble themselves will be honored.” (Luke 14:11 GW)

This surprising result is illustrated in the life of Christ. In Philippians 2 we’re told how Jesus lowered Himself like no one else ever will or could. As God the Son, He came to earth as a child, grew up to serve others and then died on the cross for our sins!

The result:

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor     and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,     in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,     to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:9-11 NLT)

What is the point of this passage? Interestingly, although it is one of the great passages about who Jesus was, the point is this: “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.” (Philippians 2:5 NLT)

Who needs humility? We all do if we’re going to please the Lord and rise to our highest level!

For more help, here are other articles I’ve written on humility, pride, confidence, humiliation and acceptance:

• What is the Worst Sin in the World?

• Having Just One Person to Please Brings Peace

• How to Survive Rejection and Find Acceptance Today

• How Reluctant Leaders Become Confident Achievers for God

• 3 Contradictions of Scripture

• How to Find Confidence in a Critical World and Stay Humble

• 6 Strategies to Handle Insults Without Becoming a Doormat

• Video: Have You Been Pecked At?

You Are Not Alone

Do you feel all alone? If you are Christ-follower you are not alone!

https://youtu.be/Y8NxD2g-32s

Why? You are not alone because of two Bible truths:

01. The Lord is always with you!

This is part of the beauty of a relationship with the Lord—He is ALWAYS there.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV)

One day our families will be gone when we die, unless we leave them first. But the wonderful truth is that, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 KJV)

02. God’s people are around you and with you.

Do you remember how even after a miraculous work of God, Elijah felt all alone?

He complained, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.” (1 Kings 19:10 NIV)

The truth was he was not alone. In fact, God spoke to Elijah and said, “Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” (1 Kings 19:18 NKJV) 

But was he alone? Not at all—there were 7,000 others standing with him! It was an emotional illusion.

So much of our aloneness is just an emotional illusion.

As I write today I have just said goodbye to a group of friends that will not be seeing each other again regularly. I feel a little sad and a bit alone.

But it is an emotional illusion because the Lord is with me and other friends are all around me.

So what am I to do? I am to speak the truth of God’s Word that “you are not alone.” God is with me and fellow believers are with me. Big time!

Is Salvation Found In Various Faith Traditions? (Religious Pluralism)

"Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 030

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Religious pluralism is the belief that all religious paths are equally valid, even though they might have mutually exclusive truth claims. In religious pluralism, all religions are not only to be tolerated, they are believed to be equally true.

Dr. Chris Gnanakan

Recently I interviewed my friend Dr. Chris Gnanakan on the subject of religious pluralism. Chris has a remarkable background having been raised in India, educated in England and now living in the USA and a professor in a seminary. He holds three doctoral degrees, serves as a professor and also serves as Executive Director of a Christian missionary organization to Asia.

Listen to this podcast by hitting the play button above.

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Here’s a short biography for Chris:

Dr. Chris Gnanakan is originally from South India, and now lives with his family in Virginia. He is currently a professor at Liberty University’s School of Divinity, serving as a bridge between the mission field and the next generation of Christian leaders. Dr. Chris is also the Director of Outreach to Asia Nationals (OTAN), a mission organization that enables nationals to reach nationals in restricted-access countries with the Gospel.

You can learn more about Chris and contact him via his website: chrisgnanakan.com

What does God’s word say about religious pluralism?

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6 ESV)

“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12 ESV)

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’”(Romans 10:13-15 ESV)

“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11-12 ESV)

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”(Romans 6:23 ESV)

“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:17-19 ESV)

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Religious pluralism holds that ANY religion is equally valid, even through they contradict each other (CC Image courtesy of Wikimedia )

Here are some of my articles that look at religious pluralism:

• Six Reasons all Roads DON’T Lead to Heaven

• Five Questions for Those Who Think Many Roads Lead to Heaven

• Beware of Wolves in Sheep’s Clothing

• 4 Great Questions to Ignite Passion for Evangelism in a Lost World

• Who Needs Jesus, I’m a Good Person

• Facing Death Fearlessly

• Why Your Sincerity Can be Deadly

Here are some of my podcasts and a vlog that looks at religious pluralism:

• Podcast: Is Christianity willing to make peace with Islam?

• Podcast: Isn’t Christianity arrogant to claim to be the only way to heaven?

• Podcast: Do Christians and Muslims worship the same God? 

• vlog Self Realization Fellowship