MemoTopic # 7: One who embraces and cultivates humility and meekness

One of the most misunderstood and yet critical virtues to cultivate in the Christian life is that of humility mixed with meekness. As we seek to be vessels used of God to touch a dying world, it becomes all the more imperative. The world’s systems will throw everything at us (true believers pursuing God and desiring to be used globally by Him) to get us to respond in a manner which manifests an attitude of independence from God, which is the base definition of pride.   Humility is not simply the lack of arrogance and outward manifestations of pride. Many of us say, “If I could only lay down my secret need to be recognized and affirmed as significant, I would be able to walk in humility!” Okay, that may be over simplified, but the reality of being cloaked with humility is much different than many of us are being taught in the church today.

Humility in one sense is recognizing and internalizing what 1 Corinthians 6:19 & 20 states, “We are not our own…but have been bought at a price.” As we agree with what the apostle Paul consistently reminds us through the epistles, that as true believers in Jesus we are bond servants and slaves to Him, our hearts begin to be saturated with a new outlook on life. Life begins to cease being about me and my needs, wants, desires, or dreams, and we take on a passion for what Jesus is passionate about, realizing that in the process we must give up on our “rights”. Learning to die to “rights” that we perceive are ours is a key manifestation of embracing and cultivating humility in one’s life.

One of the things that really burdens me in many western expressions of Christianity is the gross self-centeredness, pre-occupation with, and clinging to our rights. We honestly think that we deserve this right or that right in life. Jesus, however, has gone before us and given us the perfect example of One who gave up on ALL of His rights for the sake of bringing glory to His Father. And if there was ever one who deserved to express His rights here on earth, it would have been God in the flesh. Instead He gave us a blueprint to follow to overcome the world, its ways, and to live the gospel out in a self-centered and rights-dominated society.

What rights did Jesus forsake as an example to us: the right to a home, a family, marriage, money, consistency, eventually life itself? Jesus invites us to partake in His work on the earth by doing the very same thing. Giving up on those perceived “rights” that define us in society, but hinder us as message bearers. We embrace humility and dependence upon God when we emulate Jesus in willingly giving up these “rights” to the Father. Coming so directly in contrast with the culture and outlook of our surroundings will cause us to stand out and to be questioned, even in our churches.

Jesus states in Matthew 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am lowly and gentle in heart, and you will find rest for your souls!” The essence here is the knowledge of Jesus regarding what is really in humanity – nothing but sin. As a result, He also knows that if we will open up and receive His yoke and fix our eyes upon Him, learn from Him, and emulate His character, we will experience breakthrough. What is the essence of that character that we are to learn from – lowliness and gentleness or meekness?  Lowliness is, according to Jesus, to be the goal of our hearts and lives. To become the servants of all is to be our highest priority. As those committed to seeing the fame of Jesus spread to where it currently isn’t expressed, this is critical. Many of us need an overhaul in this arena (myself included). We have looked on message bearer success in a worldly way and not according to Jesus’ standard. Pursuing lowliness and gentleness, according to the scripture, is what brings forth the ultimate rest for our souls. The striving for success of other kinds, even in ministry, is to cause us to be anxious, worried, and anything but at rest!

This meekness, however, is not to be confused with weakness. Jesus was anything but weak emotionally, socially, and even physically. He was in complete control of Himself and demonstrated a gentle and calming spirit in most circumstances. There were those times when He manifested anger and righteous indignation, and this speaks to us that anger in itself is not wrong, but how that anger is expressed can be where sin enters. Jesus’ meekness teaches us of His great strength and command over himself. Though circumstances might have dictated emotions other than gentleness, He chose the better way and responded with love and grace. This utterly baffled those in opposition to Him and drew many people to follow this man so full of peace and kindness. It is the same with us today. Many people around the world in cultures very different from our own will not be won to Jesus through a presentation of the gospel message only. They will need to see a manifestation in the message bearer of deep humility and gentleness that attracts them to the Savior we testify about. This is true biblical humility and the call of all who go out as message bearers.

 A couple years ago I spoke with a message bearer friend in Indonesia. We were talking about what it will take to see the kingdom of God take root with force in the Middle East. She mentioned that “it will take message bearers going to work there who have come to the end of themselves and can emulate Jesus’ humility. Especially if they are North Americans! People in the Middle East expect arrogance and pride from people from North America, so to counteract this and overcome this barrier to the message we’ve come to bring, we must demonstrate a real and tangible lowliness before these precious ones that Jesus paid for by His blood!”   

 Prayer: Jesus, I see how far I am from your standard of humility. I see the numerous rights that I seek to protect in my life and how you are calling me to give them up. Thank you that your grace is completely sufficient to help me lay these rights down and I choose to receive that grace from you now to walk this death to my rights out! I embrace your style of humility and seek to cultivate a greater measure of gentleness or meekness as I prepare to go out in your name. Use me to show the love and gentleness of your heart to those in cultures where the church is currently limited. Do a breaking work in me until this humility and gentleness is the natural response of my heart!

 Various “Rights” many of us carry:

•  Education
•  American dream (nice car, house, dog)
• Freedom to go where we want, travel any time, etc
•  Money (we expect finances will always be there, etc)
•  Marriage
•  Happiness (Jesus will give us joy but this doesn’t always equal happiness)