“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart – these, O God, You shall not despise” Psalm 51: 17

Humility is very elusive because when you say to yourself, “I’m humble,” you’re being proud. I hope that when you became a Christian that you weren’t under the illusion that God needed you.

Some people say, “If the Lord could only save that person! He has such a great talent and is a natural leader.”

That’s ridiculous. We have nothing to offer to God. We’re like the man in Matthew 18: 23 – 34 who couldn’t pay his ten thousand talent debt. He had nothing to offer.

Matthew 5: 3 says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” In other words, when we came into God’s kingdom, we came as poor beggars who had nothing to offer.

We were spiritually bankrupt. And if we have anything now, it isn’t because we earned it, God gave it to us.

The only thing I have to offer back to God is what He gave me through His gift of salvation and His Spirit. I can’t take any credit for who I am; I must give God all the glory. I have no reason to be proud.

Philippians 2: 3, 4 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for His’ own interest, but also for the interests of others.”

Seek to honour others and meet their needs. If the people of the church are fighting for positions of authority, they are going to experience the same chaos as when all the disciples were seeking to be the greatest.

“And He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last and servant of all” Mark 9: 35.

We should earnestly desire to be humble. Faithful and mature believers will have a lifelong attitude of brokenness over sin, which will allow them to see more and more of God’s love and mercy and less and less of their own pride.

The true expression of this attitude is that it will not wallow in self-pity or false humility because it does not focus on the person or on his or her own sin, but happily and humbly looks to God, who alone can forgive iniquity.

Humility is a mark of genuine saving faith.

Genuine Saving Faith:  The Fruit of True Conversion

By John Denman

M. E. Head pictures