As I sit here and write, I think about humility and moments in my own life where I was humbled or displayed humility, I immediately feel like a hypocrite. Which ever way I turn I see myself. My own desires, my own ambition, my own safety. As I lay out even my greatest deeds of humility I cannot help but wonder if there was not some hidden intention of glory for myself. It is truly possible to be humble or are we only bi-products of being humbled who simply adapt?
To be humble. A simple yet profound beckoning that has floated around the cosmos since time began. Simple in the sense that anyone can do it. Even the youngest of children. Profound because humility is not the master of anyone. Humility can be found but is often disguised in ways that make it as fleeting as the vapor Solomon found in all of life’s luxuries. The antithesis of humility is pride. Pride is the master of the human heart. Quite simply because that is way we are inducted into this world. Our desires are our own and that goes on throughout history. Pride destroys relationships, careers, and worse of all, our communion and affinity to God.
King David starts psalm 36 in a peculiar way. Different than any other psalm of his that I have come across. He begins:
I have a message from God in my heart
concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:
There is no fear of God
before their eyes.
In their own eyes they flatter themselves
too much to detect or hate their sin.
I am going to make a futile attempt to define humility, but I do not think simply knowing the definition of something enacts any sort of change. I want to look at scripture to learn about my own heart. More specifically my own wickedness. Where I have lost the fear of God in my eyes and failed to hate my own sin. In doing so, I believe the curse of pride can slowly be lifted and I can begin to see my fellow human beings as equals.
Gentle And Humble In Heart
There is not a person or community on earth that does not see humility as a positive virtue. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if we know the history and origins of the word. There are many different cultures and language that have their take on the word but looking at the Greek texts are more at my disposal. Like many Greek words there are multiple meanings and multiple root words. For example, one use of the word humility can be found in James 3:13 “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (NIV). This word is prautēs, which can also be translated to gentleness. Here, James is comparing this type of humility to wisdom. This may be related to Proverbs 15:33 where Solomon says, “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor” (NIV). In Hebrew, the word humility means meekness or gentleness. This word is used in scripture when relating to someones actions. Paul uses this word in Galatians to explain how to handle a brother or sister that is caught in sin. He says, “restore that person gently” (6:1, emphasis added). The word for gently is the same word James uses for humility.
So we can deduce that humility is not only a heart posture, it is required to take hold of our deeds. Humility is not only for the individual, it is something we are to give away to our neighbor. To the Colossians, Paul communicates that the church is to clothe ourselves in humility. This is a conscious decision that we are to make daily, just like putting on our clothes. It takes effort, but with all habits it will hopefully become as easy as putting on clothes. Now there is another word for humility that has less to do with our actions and more to do with our very being, and hopefully, our identity.
This word is tapeinos. The significance of this word is found in both the meaning and the use of the word. It means, “Not rising far from the ground” or the verb is “to make low” (tapeinoō). What makes this definition powerful is that this is how Jesus describes himself in Matthew 11:29. He uses both gentle (praus) which is very similar to the word prautēs, and humble (tapeinos). We see that in Jesus he exemplifies both uses of humility. Both in his actions and in his very being.
The Gospel message holds the power and affect of this word for humility. God himself tapeinoō. He literally made himself “low to the ground”. The Creator of the cosmos, seas, and dirt subjected himself to these elements just like everyone of us. In his actions as well as his being. What I propose, is just like love, God does not just show us humility he is humility. The scandalous message in it all is that Jesus will give us rest. How? Through his gentleness and humility. Again, just as James and Paul were echoing to the church, this humility is for others. Jesus says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me” (NIV). This is something we must learn. It is a rewiring of our DNA as new creations. That if I am going to look more like my Rabbi, I must humble in deed as much as heart.
Our Relationship With The Ground
These last few months have been very difficult for me. I have been avoiding my prayer and meditation time. I have chosen to pity myself and chalk it up to being God “teaching me humility." Ironically, I have felt God’s persisting presence very strongly. Despite my efforts to remain in a state of sulking. It has taken me at least three months to write this because of my passive resistance. What clicked for me is when I learned of the root word for humility. I have prayed and probably even taught on this idea of humility being something that I must receive from “out-there." God must give it to me because I am too far removed or distant to attain it. Mainly, I equated my feelings and emotions to humility or pride. Not to dismiss our emotions, but when I felt downtrodden I began thinking God was using humility to “punish me” or “teach me a lesson”. But if we are to find rest in Christ, and he is gentle and humble, then humility is not something we must ask for “out-there” but a choice to look more like Jesus.
In our western American evangelism, we have leaned more into a theology of escapism. We have simplified the Gospel to “going to heaven” or not. Waiting out until Christ’s return. The Gospel and Biblical narrative is quite the opposite. It is of God entering into the chaos and mess sin has created. Adam was created from the dust, but Jesus chose to dive into it. He lowered himself to the earth (tapeinoō). So as his church (and I believe this is what James and Paul were getting at) we are to reflect Christ in this way. Humility is not only being gentle in our deeds but humble in heart. We as the church should not so much be escaping the earth but lowering ourselves to the ground to be with our neighbors, for our neighbors. Christ does not use humility to teach us a lesson, he uses himself to teach us about humility. This is how we find rest and this is how the church can look more like Jesus. We must not be people with our heads in the clouds, but like our Lord, we must lower ourselves to the ground in service.
References:
Galatians 6:1; James 3:13; Matthew 11:28-30; Proverbs 15:33; Psalm 36:1-2
https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G4240&t=NIV
https://www.blueletterbible.org/niv/mat/11/29/t_conc_940029