Old Testament: Jeremiah 5 & 6
Poetry: Proverbs 6
New Testament: James 4
Yesterday we talked about taming the tongue. We learned how hard it is to do. How do we get God’s help? Luckily for us James speaks on this in the very next chapter. The answer is…
Humble Yourself.
Humility is not something we can achieve. We might consider it American to think we could. You can do it. Be proactive. Take the first step. Grab the bull by the horns and be humble.
Make no mistake, we do have a part to play in humility. It is not only an effect but a command. In particular, two apostles tell us to humble ourselves. And both do so in similar ways.
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. James 4:10
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you. 1 Peter 5:6
So far as we can tell, James and Peter haven’t been inspired by each other on this point, but by the Old Testament. In the immediate context of instructing us to humble ourselves, both quote the Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34 (“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble,” James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5).
For our purposes here, observe that both calls to self-humbling come in response to trials. James refers to quarrels and fights within the church:
What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. James 4:1–2
Conflict among those claiming the name of Christ humbles the church. It serves as a test of pride, and humility. James reminds them not only that they are “sinners” and “double-minded” but he also reminds them of Proverbs 3:34. He charges the church to submit to God, resist the devil, and draw near to God (James 4:7–8). In other words, “Humble yourselves before the Lord.” The church is being humbled from within. Now, how will they respond to God’s humbling purposes in this conflict? Will they humble themselves? Will we? Can we?
Over and over again in the Bible, self-humbling is not something we initiate but something we receive, even embrace — even welcome — when God sends his humbling, however direct or indirect his means. The invitation to humble ourselves does not come in a vacuum but through our first being humbled.
Humility, like faith — and as a manifestation of faith — is not an achievement. Humility is not fundamentally a human initiative, but a proper, God-given response in us to God himself and his glory and purposes.
We don’t teach ourselves to be humble. There’s no five-step plan for becoming more humble in the next day, week, or month. Within measure, we might take certain kinds of initiatives to cultivate humility in ourselves, but the main test comes when we are confronted, unsettled in the moments when our semblances of control vanish and we’re taken off guard by life in a fallen world — and the question comes to us:
How will you respond to these humbling circumstances? Will you humble yourself?
Daily humbling ourselves under the authority of God’s word, and humbling ourselves by obeying his words, and humbling ourselves by coming desperately to him in prayer, and humbling ourselves in fasting — these all have their place in our overall response as creatures to our Creator. But first and foremost, we need to know humbling ourselves is responsive to God.
When the next humbling trial comes, will you bow up with pride, or bow down in humility? God has a particular promise for you in these moments. The God of all power will exalt the humble in his perfect timing.
-Andy Cisneros
Reflection Questions
- When has trials and conflict humbled you? Do you think you needed to be humbled?
- Why do you think God opposes the proud? Why do you think He gives grace to, and lifts up the humble?
- What is your response to God? Does it include a healthy dose of humility?
Seek Grow Love 