Philippians 2
A modest or low view of one’s own importance according to Webster.
I know, I know. We all already know what humility is. What it looks like. How it is defined. But how often do we sit and think about the Bible’s meaning of humility? I don’t disagree with Google…..”A key virtue marked by an absence of pride and self-centeredness, emphasizing love and placing God and others before oneself”.
In Philippians, Paul breaks down humility very simply. Verses 3 & 4, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.” Paul makes it so easy to read, but is it that easy to carry out in everyday life? Are we all able to find humility in our everyday lives or do we very often get lost in our own self-interests and desires?
I love how life works. Just this morning before I sat down to spend time on this chapter in Philippians, I was listening to a podcast. The host is an avid pool player and his guest is currently the #1 pool player in the world. The host explained how he casually played against his guest a couple of years ago and lost several times, expectedly. But the host wasn’t mad or upset that he lost, even though he finds himself as a very good pool player. No, instead he told the guest how humbling it made him feel. The host knows he can beat the average pool hall player but also recognizes that the guest is an elite pro. This pro spends way more time practicing and playing pool and there is a reason he is #1 and the host understands and accepts this.
This is just a microcosm example of everyday humility and certainly not exactly the type of humility Paul is referring to in Philippians. Paul’s humility is that of Jesus. One that describes not considering equality with God to be attainable, but instead being a simple servant made in human likeness. By just humbling yourself for who and what God made you.
When I think of being humble, I think of exactly where I am sitting or standing in that very moment. I am currently sitting in my office in my house in front of my computer. I am humbled by everything I have in my life. An amazing God-fearing wife, 2 amazing little girls, a roof over our heads, all the family and friends that I love and care about and that love and care about me.
But every night I put my head on my pillow, periodically throughout the day and especially church on Sundays, I am reminded of the humility through Jesus. Verse 5, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”. This is not true for me 100% of the time, and thank God that’s ok. But it is a great memento that it should be a lot closer to 100% than 0%. A recent sermon in the last month has stuck with me in absolutely everything I do that Right or Wrong(especially wrong), I need to be more like Jesus in every which way. If it were easy everyone would do it! Well, none of us can be 100% like Jesus, but maybe we can at least try more, 100% of the time.