11 “The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
True humility of heart is definitely the brightest star on the “Christian’s tree” – topping our lives as the shining fruit which reflects upon all the others. Indeed, the Prophet Micah tells us it is one of the three things God requires of His people:
8 He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 (NIV)
“Love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ.” John Newton
In God’s eyes, he who advances to any place of dignity is through the door of humble service. He who stands the highest in God’s favor is most submissively serviceable or in more common vernacular, he is the one who willingly stops the lowest – just like our Jesus. Nothing is beneath the humble – no person, no service. Paul tells us in Philippians:
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross! Phil 2:2-8 (NIV)
“The Christian gospel is that I am so flawed that Jesus had to die for me, yet I am so loved and valued that Jesus was glad to die for me. This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time.” Tim Keller
The Lord Jesus goes on to say in our verses for today that there is sure punishment pending for those who are proud in heart – those ever eager for their own exaltation. In lieu of a crown they are so desirous to receive they are humbled instead – forced to bend the knee. These that are proud in heart are much akin to our adversary Satan whose greatest desire is to be worshipped. But silly Satan, there is only One God and no other – it is He alone Who is to be worshipped. The Prophet Isaiah pens God’s Words to us regarding this for our knowledge and safety:
11 “I, even I, am the LORD, and apart from me there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:11 (NIV)
6 “This is what the LORD says--Israel's King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.” Isaiah 44:6 (NIV)
5 “I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:5-6 (NIV)
18 For this is what the LORD says--he who created the heavens, he is God; he who fashioned and made the earth, he founded it; he did not create it to be empty, but formed it to be inhabited--he says: “I am the LORD, and there is no other.” Isaiah 45:18 (NIV)
9 “Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. 10 I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” Isaiah 46:9-10 (NIV)
At the very least, I think we should be beginning to get the picture here! Jesus goes on to say in our verses for today that quite the opposite is true for those who willingly choose to humble themselves – they, in turn, will be exalted. Interestingly, honor is like a shadow which flees from those who pursue it and grasp after it yet follows those who flee from it. The way up is down. The one bowed low becomes the lifted one. There is a marked advantage to humility in God’s Kingdom economy – it will eventually bring honor.
10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 (NIV)
“Christians who are real saints and the greatest in the Kingdom...humble themselves as a little child...They look upon themselves as children in grace...” Jonathan Edwards
“Humility is nothing else but a true knowledge and awareness of oneself as one really is.” The Cloud of Unknowing