Humility. Sermon by Arlene Lanting, May 27,2023
The word humility is a noun. It is not something you do, but rather a state of being.
Humility is a freedom of pride or arrogance. (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
“Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less”. C.S. Lewis
“...when pride comes, then comes disgrace—but with humility comes wisdom”. Proverbs 11:2
"To learn humility is to learn contentment in all circumstances, Humility is not what we own or achieve, but in maintaining a teachable attitude, a willingness to bend to the will of God." Joan Silvious
To understand humility it is helpful to look at it in another form. The word humble is a verb, action.
Humble definition: Lower (oneself) in dignity or importance. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
Someone may intentionally lower themselves to another’s level (physically or emotionally), or lower themselves in recognition of another’s superior wisdom.
Jesus humbled himself when He washed the feet of the disciples. In NT times, people walked in sandals along the unpaved dusty roads of Palestine. A servant would wash the guests’ feet as they came into the house. Jesus, the leader took on that role. Peter felt this was inappropriate for Jesus to to lower himself as a servant. Peter looked at Jesus. Peter said “No, you shall never wash my feet”. (John 13:7)
Jesus said to the disciples "Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them". (John 13:16,17)
Jesus humbled Himself to serve others.
Parents may humble themselves as they go on their knees or sit on the floor to speak to a child at their level.
Imagine a row of soldiers standing tall and straight as they are inspected by a leader they look up to. They do not lower themselves physically, yet they do humble themselves in an outward show of respect.
David humbled himself at a time when he desired to do a great thing for God. 2 Samuel 7. David told Nathan that he sought to build a house of cedar for the ark of the covenant to rest, as a house for the Lord. Nathan agreed. God did not see things as Nathan and David did. God gave Nathan a message for David. This message pointed out that God had never voiced a desire for a different house to any leaders of Israel. God did agree to have a house built, but that David was not the one who should build this house. God's message was that a son of David would have this task.
David may have been disappointed that he would not build a house for God. He also recognized the great honour God was giving to David, David's family and the nation. He worships God and expresses the wonders of the Lord. “How great you are, Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears". (Vs 22)
David humbled himself before the Lord. He lowered himself before the Lord.
There is another definition of the word humble, to lower (someone else) in dignity or importance. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. Matthew 23: 11,12
A group of boys working as bonded laborers are rescued in a raid on a garment factory. Humbled boys, treated as slaves, with no autonomy.
Sex trade workers, victims of sex traffiking, are humbled by those who take advantage of them. Humbled.
There are those that use emotional abuse, physical abuse, elder abuse, child abuse, bullying as a means to humble someone else. To humble, to lower someone else in dignity or importance. Humbled, using the weapon of humiliation. All of these are a result of someone raising themselves above another.
All cases of being humbled are not forced by someone else, or by own's own choice. Some cases of being humbled may arise as an unwanted consequence of raising oneself above others to exercise superiority.
Let's take a look at another experience of David when he was humbled, this time after lifting himself up over others. 2 Samuel 12. Nathan shared with David about the man who had many sheep, yet took the lamb of the man who had very little to make a meal for a guest. David burned with anger against the man and turned to Nathan "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this must die! He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity". (vs 5,6).
Nathan looked at David and said "You are the man!". Nathan explained that David's actions against Uriah was a sin he had refused to acknowledge. David acknowledges his sin. Nathan assures him he is forgiven. He also, however , explains that there are still consequences for showing such utter contempt for the Lord. David was told his young son would die as a consequence of his behaviour.
David's son became ill. David pleaded with God for his child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth on the ground. His household attendants tried to get him up from the ground, but he refused. He would not eat any food. He was in a state of despair.
David realized his son was dead. His servants verified it. David got up, got washed, put lotions on, got dressed and went to worship the Lord. He then asked for food and ate. His servants were confused and appalled by David's behaviour. They asked how he could weep in despair before the child died and afterwards act like nothing happened. David explained that before he hoped he could change God's mind, but once the child had died, he understood he could not bring him back. He understood nothing he could do would change the situation.
David had been humbled. Why? Because he lacked insight and chose denial of his own behaviour. So deep was David's denial, that God needed to go to desperate measures to wake David up.
David took advantage of His position to destroy someone else for pure selfish motivation. He failed to acknowledge his sin. After all he did not actually kill Uriah. He had justified himself!! God gave him time to see his sin. God gave him time to humble himself, and relieve himself of his arrogance. David had lifted himself above mere men. He had lifted himself up, to an exalted level of power. God gave him opportunity. David had hidden his sin so well, intentionally hiding it from himself. He had pushed it away. Pushed away so deep it took a drastic event to wake David up.
The people who are emotional, physical, elder, child abusers or bullies, humbling others instill fear in those they humble. David was humbled by God Himself. Was God an aggressor, a bully, a violator?
Have you ever asked these questions of God?
- How could God allow....?
- Why an innocent child?
- Is it fair that God...?
What is it we are really asking?
When we hear the story of David and the consequences that God handed to him, do we not in some capacity fear the Lord? Do we not see the Lord as an Almighty God who has the power and capacity to punish us when the need arises? Do we not put ourselves in David’s shoes and tremble? Have you never asked these questions?
When we find ourselves asking tough questions, God wants us to ask Him these questions. Think about Job. Take these questions to God and ask Why?
Was God an aggressor, a bully, a violator? No. Not all those who humble someone else are doing so in violence, aggression or power. Sometimes it is to teach. Jesus humbled himself when he washed the feet of His disciples, but he also humbled Peter at the same time. Was it done out of a need for power? No. David used his position to humble Uriah from a place of power and aggression. Jesus humbled Peter out of love, in a teachable moment.
In fact David was the aggressor! David refused to listen to God’s heeding about David’s own behaviour. David did not actually kill Uriah. He was not at fault. God points out yes you are. You arranged this, you killed Uriah! You have sinned and refuse to recognize it!
As tragic as this story is, God knew if David did not wake up to His ignorance, He would grow in sin and lead the young nation of Israel to do the same at a very vulnerable time, a time of strength and well being that is relatively new to them. God is not the aggressor in this story! God is the Saviour! God is not like the people in these pictures, force through fear. Even David recognized that! God saved him from going down a path that would have hurt his people and his family that would have lasted far longer than this tragedy – generations upon generations in fact, despite how tragic this specific event was.
This story does not mean that every death is God’s way of teaching us a lesson. No indeed. Only God knows David’s heart. There are other influences for power in this world who would use tragedy to pinpoint blame to God for no good reason other than pull you from Christ.
The tragedy for David and his family was his unwillingness to admit his horrific sin. Psalm 25 is a psalm of David, a plea for deliverance and forgiveness.
It took such tragic means for David to acknowledge his sin. Was this fair? Absolutely not! But this was David’s doing, not Gods. God gave David much time to acknowledge his sin, and David chose to bury it instead. Burying sin leads to greater sin. Do you have buried sin? Let us learn through lessons passed down to us, to be humble, to stand up for those humbled by hostile aggressors, and to humble ourselves before the Lord when we have sinned, understanding we cannot hide our sin from ourselves or from God.
Let us learn from David when we are humbled in a mighty way.
- Get up
- Get washed
- Do some small, easy thing for yourself that does not cause harm, a commitment to move from despair to care
- Worship the Lord
- Nourish your physical body
When we lift ourselves above others, let us remember the servant model Jesus taught the disciples.
When we fail to humble ourselves, and find ourselves fallen flat, let us pick up ourselves up, clean ourselves on the outside and come to God to clean us on the inside. So that we may move forward, and God will lift us up again.
When God humbles us let us remember he does it to lift us up in a healthier way.
Humility is
- Isaiah 66:2
- Proverbs 15:33
- 1 Peter 5:6,7
- Micah 6:8
- Matthew 11:29
Humility is utter dependence on God’s mercy, awareness of our own sin and unworthiness, trust in God’s mercy and kindness.
"Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them".