The H-Word
I am a novice. I don't claim to know what I am talking about in this article, which is rare for an author. Maybe that's humility, I don't know. This whole article may just be my perusal or my honest admission that I have ignorance concerning the subject. My goal is to tell you what I think. I have scriptures that support what I think. But who doesn't? Just some thoughts for your prayerful consideration.
Experience
In the past, my experience with what people call humility has been interesting, to say the least. I observe a lot. I guess I love watching human behavior in action. Nothing more interesting than understanding why people do what they do and why they are who they are. Some interesting observations I’ve seen between would suggest the following.
Number one, it's prideful to say you are humble. Mention even for a second that you have a humble spirit in front of the religious community and they begin to gather rocks for your stoning. It's a complete no-no!!!" You can't say you are humble because isn't that prideful?" the religious scoff.
Never mind that Jesus, the archetype for all christian devotion, who was God but did everything in life as a man (according to Philippians 2) so he could model new testament life for us, said he was humble.
Matthew 11:28-29
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus did it. He said the "H" word. He called himself humble. "Everybody grab some rocks, here we go." Some will say "Jorge, He's God, he can say whatever he wants." That's true but that completely defeats the point of Philippians 2 which says he emptied himself and acted completely as a man in right relationship with God. He had to die as a man. He could not die as God. Was he still God? Absolutely, but he held that God-ness in check and limited himself to the power of a man flooded with the Holy Ghost. He said this statement as a man. Moses in Numbers 12, is called the most humble man on earth. I'll give you a second to remember who wrote numbers.
Irony
Say you're humble and get gloriously judged. Say you are prideful and suddenly everyone in the church remarks about your humility. I will agree that humility is admitting our need for God and his grace in all situations. If we have trouble with that then we have trouble grasping our salvation, which only he could do. The issue to me with these statements is that they are said to gain praise from men. To receive adoration and spiritual renown in the foyers of our respective churches. "Look at so and so, he is so humble." Which is the essence of pride. Pride is being man-conscious. Humility is being God conscious. Whose praise do you want?
John 5:44
41 “I don’t accept praise from people, 42 but I know you, that you don’t have God’s love in you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you don’t receive me. If others come in their own name, you receive them. 44 How can you believe when you receive praise from each other but don’t seek the praise that comes from the only God?
Conclusion:
Hear my heart. let's stop trying to call out pride in each other and let's be comfortable with people using the H-word. To describe themselves as humble is fine as long it's justified by a life of obedience. Frankly, if you say you are humble in front of me. It won't bother me as long as we are relying on him.
