A Deep Dive Into Humility, Part 12: The Blessings of Humility, Part 2
July 29, 2022 | by: Dale Thiele | 0 Comments
Posted in: Pastoral Encouragement | Tags: humility, pride, blessings
The Bible promises that God “gives grace to the humble” (Jms. 4:6). Last week we began to dig into what that grace looks like. I call it the blessings of humility. We saw that humility leads to justification by faith, fruitfulness in Christ, contentment, hunger for Christ, peace, and joy. Not to sound too much like a product sales pitch on TV, but wait… there’s more! If humility links us to Christ, then we know that God’s grace abounds to us in Christ, grace upon grace (John 1:16). Let’s keep digging and unpacking those blessings of humility.
- Humility leads to reception of God’s Word. In his parables, Jesus highlights that there are multiple ways to hear the word of God (the two builders on two foundations, Matt. 7:24-27; the sower of seeds, Luke 8:4-18). Not every hearing of the word of God leads to faith. How do you hear God’s word? The Lord commends humble hearing in Isaiah 66:2, “This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.” Without humility, you will not hear the word of God as he desires you to receive it.
- Humility leads to joyful service. Paul says in Acts 20:35 that Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” This statement is not found in the gospels, but it reflects Jesus’ example in John 13 when he washed the disciples’ feet. It was a humbling task to wash another’s feet. Jesus says, “I have given you an example…blessed are you if you do them” (v.15, 17). Our pride becomes a roadblock for doing tasks that we deem below us, and then we miss out on the blessing. Humility leads us to be like Christ to serve others without thinking of our significance. And we are blessed when we serve this way.
- Humility leads to fighting sin. Far too often, we think of our fight against sin as something we need to get done. But we are weak on our own in our fight against sin. It takes humility to yield the fight to the Spirit’s help. Romans 8:13 says, “If you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” That little phrase “by the Spirit” is essential to our fight with sin. Without humility, we will never walk by the Spirit and, therefore, never put to death the sin that kills us.
- Humility leads to joy in trials. James commands, “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds” (1:2). And Paul affirms, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance” (Rom. 5:3). At the core of having joy in the midst of trials is humility. Pride leads us to despise hardships as if we don’t deserve them. Humility receives all circumstances as from the hand of the Lord, looking to him for strength to endure. Thomas Brooks says, “The humble soul is not anxious about getting out of affliction – but studious how to glorify God in his afflictions.”
- Humility leads to teachableness. Proverbs 12:1 says, “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.” Discipline involves being corrected and learning. The one who hates discipline is the one who does not believe he needs to be corrected or learn. That is pride. Humility will always be eager to learn more and expect to be corrected, for the humble person admits he is not perfect. Without humility you will never learn.
- Humility leads to exaltation. Jesus says, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matt. 23:12). This exaltation, ultimately, is the glorification of believers in the presence of God for eternity. We when choose to follow Christ, letting “goods and kindred go, this mortal life also,” for his name’s sake, we “will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life” (Matt. 19:29). The sacrifices of humility will never compare with the glory to be revealed to us in heaven.
Like I said last week, I pray that knowing these blessings will draw you deeper into your pursuit of humility.
