Humility - The Key To Joy Series

ILLUS: Ignace Jan Paderewski, the famous Polish composer-pianist, was once scheduled to perform at a great American concert hall for a high-society extravaganza. In the audience was a mother with her fidgety nine-year-old son. Weary of waiting, the boy slipped away from her side, strangely drawn to the Steinway on the stage. Without much notice from the audience, he sat down at the stool and began playing "chopsticks." The roar of the crowd turned to shouts as hundreds yelled, "Get that boy away from there!"

When Paderewski heard the uproar backstage, he grabbed his coat and rushed over behind the boy. Reaching around him from behind, the master began to improvise a countermelody to "Chopsticks." As the two of them played together, Paderewski kept whispering in the boy’s ear, "Keep going. Don’t quit, son, don’t stop, don’t stop."

Today in the Word, Moody Bible Institute, Jan., 1992, p.8

In a sense, that is how God is at work helping us to "work out our salvation." Although God is behind it all he does require our effort. If you want to know the JOY that comes from living a humble life – it is going to take hard work on your part. It is going to take deliberate choices to be like Jesus in how you relate to others. But it’s worth the hard work!

What will be the result of a life lived with humility?

• Your life will bring light to dark places. (v. 16)

14 Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe 16 as you hold out the word of life

I kept thinking about Mother Teresa all week. How she dedicated her life to helping the poorest of the poor in Calcutta, India. How somehow, this humble servant woman achieved world-wide fame for her service. Talk about being a shining light in a dark place.

Paul says that when we live lives of humility, being a servant, putting others first – the result is we will shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life to others.

The world is full of people clamoring for attention, for honor, for prestige. You want your life to be set apart from the crowd? Live humbly and put others needs before your own.

CONCLUSION:

How will your life be different this week?

Who is it that God is whispering in your ear that you might serve this week?

What action can you take to literally empty yourself of your rights and become like a servant?

What task do you routinely do that causes you to complain?

I challenge you to live in the shadow of our Lord Jesus, who lived a humble life, and because of it now basks in eternal glory with the Father. I urge you to write down one concrete action step you can take this week to develop this attitude of humility and follow the example of Jesus.

Becoming a joy-FULL person will stem from your willingness to serve others from a heart of humility. Will you risk it?