Humility Part 1

HUMILITY Part 1
Vineyard Church NW - Jody Burgin


HUMILITY vs. Pride
Recognizing and acknowledging my total dependence upon the Lord and seeking his will for every decision

God appeals to all of us to take the initiative to humble ourselves. “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:10). “Humble yourself therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). We are to first and foremost humble ourselves in the eyes of the Lord, not necessarily in the eyes of others. Pride is putting ourselves on an equal level with God. Humility is abasing ourselves and submitting to the righteous rule of God and his authorities. Our Lord can see the true condition of our hearts, whether we are prideful or sincerely exalting him.

“I will…”
Give credit to those who have made me successful.
Praise my parents, teachers, mentors and coaches.
Not think more highly of myself than I ought to think.
Take responsibility for all my actions.
Try again after each defeat.
Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. (1 Thessalonians 3:14)

The worst thing we can do for the ones we love are the things they could and should do for themselves. Some people God brings into our life will not be capable of supporting themselves financially, physically, or emotionally, so they need help. If a man is hungry, give him a fish. But after he has eaten, teach him how to fish. Don’t keep giving him fish. That makes him dependent on us for his food. 2 Thessalonians 3:10 is clear, “Whoever does not work should not eat.” In other words, don’t spoil folks by giving them too much of what they haven’t got coming. When we do too much, people don’t appreciate it. It breeds a prideful, entitlement mind-set rather than a humble, hard-working attitude. The sons of Eli are great examples of what happens when someone is spoiled rotten.

1 Samuel 1-4 describes Eli as a priest, father, elderly and discerning. He had two sons who were unbelievers. They lived rebellious, immoral, scandalous lives (1 Samuel 2:12-15). Eli’s way of dealing with his shameful sons was equivalent to a verbal slap on the hand – and a mild one at that (1 Samuel 2:23-24). He becomes passive, standing back and letting them have their way, as he indulges them. His sons sinned but he picked up the tab. He yawned, sighed and winked his way through it. He smiled at things he ought not to have smiled at as he pampered them. The greatest of all faults is to be conscious of none.

Don’t play favorites and spoil anyone. The consequences are too great. Take care of needy people especially when they can’t work enough to care for themselves. Partner with them to return them to a healthy place. Take care of those who serve Christ as a profession because they are working when they minister. But don’t give anyone too much so they end up being dependent on you. The only dependency we want to teach is dependency on God.

Father, give me a passion for those who need help but who can’t help themselves, give me the courage to keep from spoiling those whom I love, and give me the wisdom to tell the difference.