Putting humility first: How to be a more humble Christian
“When God, who is the best shepherd of all, comes out in the open with his rule, he’ll see that you’ve done it right and commend you lavishly. And you who are younger must follow your leaders. But all of you, leaders and followers alike, are to be down to earth with each other, for —
God has had it with the proud,
But takes delight in just plain people.”
1 Peter 5:4-5 (MSG)
This verse from 1 Peter encourages the virtue of humility. It is one of the many passages in the Bible that talk about it. In short, humility is the assumption of a position of modesty or a low view of one’s own importance. However, it’s one thing to define humility and accept that it is good because God says it is. It’s another to actually put humility into practice.
Tips for becoming a more humble Christian
Humility is hard. Pride comes easily.
We are proud of our heritage, our values, our beliefs and our accomplishments. And when we talk about pride, we’re not talking about being pleased with making something beautiful or doing a good job. We’re talking about exalting yourself or thinking higher of yourself because of what you’ve done or what you believe. We’re talking about seeing others as less than you.
These days, humility seems harder than ever thanks to the deepening political divide. We become easily insulted or outraged by “the other side.” We think those on “the other side” are totally evil and wicked and want to destroy all that is good.
Are these the thoughts of one who is humble, or are they the thoughts of someone with too much pride? We think it’s the latter.
It’s time we take a collective deep breath as a nation and work on our ability to be more humble. Humility is the gateway to understanding, to listening to others, to cooperating and to building a better world. The problem is, we haven’t really given it a shot on a large scale. If you’re ready to be a part of the solution and grow in your humility, here are some tips that may help:
Actually listen to others — Do not interrupt or form arguments in your mind. Hear what others are saying, and try to understand their perspective, feelings and values.
Be present — Accept what happens in the world and strive to make improvements. Do not focus on the negatives and be an armchair critic. Be active and work on the solution.
Be thankful — Take a look at what is good in your life and in the world and be thankful for it. Pride teaches us to hang on to what we have and fight against all perceived threats. Humility teaches us that we are blessed to have what we have, and that it is OK to let go and trust in the Lord.
Ask for help — Proud people pretend to have the answers. Humble people know when they don’t. Only one of these people can actually work to find truth or solve a problem. Can you guess which?
Accept criticism — We need to be open to criticism from others. Even if you end up not agreeing with the criticism, it’s important to hear the other person’s perspective. You might even end up learning something new about yourself that helps you grow as a person.
Centerpoint Church is ready to walk with you on your faith journey
At Centerpoint, our community believes in purpose and passion, and we would love to walk with you on your journey in finding yours. We are currently going through a new sermon series titled “Crazy Like Us.” It’s all about what we imagine Jesus would want to undo in today’s church to rebuild it to better fit His image and His teachings.
Do you feel like the church has lost its way and could use some restructuring? You’re not alone. We encourage you to listen to our series online and welcome you to come to one of our Sunday morning services in Valrico, Florida.