Humility Part 3 of 5

HUMILITY Part 3
Vineyard Church NW - Jody Burgin


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

“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.
“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:11)

Thinking rightly and accurately about ourselves is an important key to breakthrough living. Self-awareness is being able to look ourselves in the mirror and not just see the blemishes! We are so prone to count our vices and overlook our virtues. Of course it is not easy to admit our defects, but it seems even harder to accurately see our God-given strengths. To “right size” ourselves is imperative. We seem to have a strange double standard. We count as a vice or “character defect” anything we have ever done… only once! Yet we count as a virtue or asset only those qualities we display all the time. Humility is not ignoring my strong points. It is recognizing and acknowledging my total dependence upon the Lord – strengths and weaknesses alike.

The process of developing closeness to the Almighty and others includes making a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. As we undergo a detailed study and compile an itemized list, we often record more faults than virtues. Yet an accurate and balanced inventory is necessary. A true comprehensive inventory includes both assets and liabilities.

Why this difficulty with accurate inventory and honest self-awareness? Could it be that we don’t think we are consistently and unconditionally loved by God? Most of us accept and love our children no matter how many faults or how many virtues they possess. We just love them. If we believe that God is our Father, surely he loves his children that much more. Jesus reminds us in Matthew 7:11 that if we know how to give good gifts to our children, surely God our heavenly Father is even more generous.

Lord, you called me to be honest and straight. Help me to see myself accurately as you see me.