Humility: Trait or Discipline?

In a world that often praises self-promotion and personal achievement, the Christian call to humility stands in stark contrast. Humility is not merely an admirable trait but a fundamental aspect of our faith and relationship with God. It reflects Christ’s character, aligns us with God’s will, and allows us to serve others with a heart of love. Moreover, Humility should be thought of a discipline. We should not wish for a humble trait but choose to be humble in all aspects of our lives as a Christian. Instead, we should treat it just as important as joy, for the Bible says the humble will be exalted yet the exalted will be humbled and talks of the consequences of Pride many times.

Humility Reflects Christ’s Example

Jesus Christ is the ultimate model of humility. Though He was God, He humbled Himself by taking on human flesh and serving others, even to the point of dying on the cross. Philippians 2:5-8 reminds us:

“In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,

did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

rather, he made himself nothing

by taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

by becoming obedient to death—

even death on a cross!”

If Jesus, the Son of God, walked in humility, how much more should we? His life teaches us that humility is not about thinking less of ourselves but about thinking of ourselves less.

Humility Draws Us Closer to God

Pride distances us from God, but humility brings us nearer to Him. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” When we humble ourselves before God, we acknowledge our dependence on Him, recognizing that everything we have is a gift from Him.

Humility allows us to receive God’s wisdom and guidance rather than relying on our limited understanding. Proverbs 3:5-6 instructs us to trust in the Lord and not lean on our own understanding, but we can only do this if we have a humble heart that submits to His will.

Humility Strengthens Relationships

Pride creates division, while humility fosters unity. In our interactions with others, humility enables us to be patient, forgiving, and understanding. The apostle Paul urges believers in Ephesians 4:2, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

When we practice humility, we listen more, judge less, and extend grace to others. It helps us to build stronger, Christ-centered relationships, both in the church and in our daily lives.

Humility Leads to True Greatness

The world defines greatness by power, wealth, and status, but Jesus redefines greatness through humility and servanthood. In Matthew 23:11-12, He says, “The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

True greatness in God’s kingdom is found in serving others, just as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. When we put others before ourselves, we reflect God’s love and fulfill His command to love our neighbors.

Humility Should be thought of as a Discipline and a Choice not a Trait

Just as we classify Joy as a staple of Christian life, we should include humility in this discussion. The Bible reveals to us joy is a choice and a lifestyle, yet so is humility. Many times we see people humble themselves before Jesus, asking for blessings, healings, and miracles. We see this through John 12:3-8 when Mary took an expensive perfume and annoints Jesus with it. Many see this as embarrasing and see Mary as an emotional wreck, howver Jesus points out the faith and humility in Mary's actions. We also see the Roman officer in Matthew 8:5-13 when he meets with Jesus. He would tell Jesus about his extremely sick servant and asks for Jesus to heal him. This Roman soldier could've told him to heal him, yet he humbled himself before the Lord and asked him to just say the words and he would be healed.

Yet humility is not just showing up as a weak, troubled, broken person and asking Jesus to heal us, we can also take this into our worship. When we raise our hands we humble ourselves and declare with the raising of our arms that we are nothing without Christ and everything we've accomplished and failed at is because of Jesus and we not only acknowledge but we sacrifice our ego and pride in order to show God our worship and thankfulness. So we lift out hands from a place of humility, not a place of desire or looking for a feeling, we show God we know we are broken people who are in desparate need for him to walk with us, direct us, free us, and most importantly save us. We humbly declare Jesus is Lord through the lifting of our hands and the raising of our voices in worship and the shout of praise for all he's done in our lives.

Living a Life of Humility

How can we cultivate humility in our daily lives?

1. Acknowledge God in everything – Recognize that all we have comes from Him (James 1:17).

2. Serve others selflessly – Look for opportunities to serve without expecting anything in return (Mark 10:45).

3. Practice gratitude – A thankful heart helps us remain humble and content (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

4. Confess and repent of pride – Regularly examine our hearts and seek God’s help in overcoming pride (1 John 1:9).

5. Put others first – Consider the needs of others before our own (Philippians 2:3-4).

Conclusion

Humility is not weakness; it is strength under God’s control. It is a powerful testimony of our faith and a reflection of Christ’s love. By embracing humility, we draw closer to God, strengthen our relationships, and find true fulfillment in serving others. May we strive daily to walk humbly before God, knowing that in due time, He will lift us up (1 Peter 5:6).