Introduction
I look around the world today and I don’t see what I consider to be a lot of humility these days. And then I thought to myself, maybe it is me, maybe I don’t know what humility looks like. Maybe, I don’t know what I am looking for. I know this I need to know what humility looks like, and I know you need to know what humility looks like because God makes it plain in James 4:6 “6 ....“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” And we both need all the grace our God will give us.
And so, I am so glad that in our passage of Scripture today God teaches us what humility looks like. Let’s begin by reading our Scripture and then make some comments as to what humility looks like. And then as we come to the invitation, I want you to ask yourself in your day-to-day life if you exhibit humility. Is that you, do you walk humbly?
Scripture
Daniel 4:34–37 (NKJV)
33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws. 34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:
For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down.
POINT #1
For the Christian, humility looks like not drawing any attention to yourself but serving faithfully where you are awaiting the king’s return.
I learn a lot about Daniel and his humility between verses 33 and 34. King Nebuchadnezzar has been banished by God to the field to live like an animal for seven years.
Babylon, the most powerful kingdom in the world, must continue to go on. So, the number two man must move up to the number one slot. Just like in America, if something happens to the President, the number two person, the Vice President moves up to number one.
Well, we know in Babylon that Daniel is the second in charge behind the king. Daniel 2:48 tells us so. “48 Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon.” Daniel was the number two man, now, he is the number one man.
But look between verses 33 and 34, Daniel did not call any attention to himself. He could have easily draw attention to himself. He could have said I like being the top dog, I will call in the captain of the guards and have that wild beast of a king killed. He didn’t do that.
I know what Daniel really would like to have done, he could have issued a decree that he and all the people that were exiled from Israel be returned to Israel. But he didn’t.
What I see that Daniel did do was serve faithfully to the king drawing little or no attention to himself awaiting the king’s return. And Daniel was confident that the king would return because God told Daniel so in the dream that he interpreted for the king.
Daniel 4:26 “26 “And inasmuch as they gave the command to leave the stump and roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be assured to you, after you come to know that Heaven rules.”
Do you realize what Daniel did is exactly what we should be doing as Christians? Our King Jesus told us that He is going to return and to keep doing the work until I return. So, our job is to service him faithfully without calling attention to ourselves until his return.
If you are servicing God faithfully but you are calling all kind of attention to yourself, you are not serving God humbly because it is not about you; it is about God.
You may be the meekest person around, but you are not doing the work God called us to do, then you are not serving God humbly.
And that applies not only to the church you attend but also to the place you work, and the family you like in. In your home, if you a personal agenda and not what is best for the family, then you are not serving God humbly.
Point #2
For the Christian, humility looks like keeping my eyes on heaven where Jesus is seated rather than looking around me. Looking around me will make me more suspect to pride.
Interestingly enough, the second lesson I learned about humility comes from an unbeliever- King Nebuchadnezzar.
Don’t think that so strange, because I am sure an unbeliever might have asked you: “I didn’t think Christians are supposed to act that way?” Or, they could have said, “Are Christian supposed to be doing that?” When that happens, it is God using an unbeliever to put you under conviction. Make no mistake about it- God uses unbeliever to teach us the right thing to do.
And here is the lesson Nebuchadnezzar teaches us.
Daniel 4:34 “34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.”
If I am looking to heaven, I get one perspective. If I am looking around me, I get another perspective. The perspective of looking to heaven, it is the real perspective. The perspective of looking around me will give me a distorted perspective.
If Nebuchadnezzar looks to heaven, he sees that King lives forever; that King’s dominion last forever; that King’s kingdom is from generation to generation.
When Nebuchadnezzar looked around him in Chapter 3, he saw that he was the most powerful man in the world at that time. So, he deserved the praise and honor of the people. So, it was a natural progression that he should build a 90-foot statue of himself out of gold.
When Nebuchadnezzar looked to heaven, he received the truly right perspective, and he was humbled. When Nebuchadnezzar look around him, he got the wrong perspective and pride raised its ugly head.
That is why Jesus tells us in Hebrews 12:2 “2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We are to be looking to Jesus, who is seated at the right hand of God in heaven. So, the king gave us good advice- to walk humbly, I need to be looking to the heavens.
Point #3
For the Christian, humility looks like truly being happy when someone else is blessed by God.
Daniel 4:36 “36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
Daniel has been number one in Babylon for seven years. And when the king’s senses were returned to him, we don’t see Daniel fight with the king for the number one position. He gladly steps down and goes back into the number two role.
Think for a minute that our local Wal Mart manager goes crazy like Nebuchadnezzar. When you go to Wal Mart, you see him on the grassy area by the Chevron eating the grass. His number two became number one for seven years. After seven years, his senses return, and he walks in Wal Mart to get his number one position back. Most likely, we are going to have a fight on our hands. The number two who become number one is not happy that the other guy is back and is going to fight to keep the position.
Daniel without a word recorded, steps down and lets the king return to his original position. Daniel was genuinely glad that God had restored King Nebuchadnezzar.
I wish all Christians can be truly happy when God blesses another Christian. But I know the thought the devil whispers in our ear sometimes. “Why don’t God bless you rather than them.”
If I cannot be truly happy for the one that God blessed, that is pride. Pride says where is mine!
The Big Question
I want you to ask yourself in your day-to-day life if you exhibit humility. Are you like Daniel, do you walk humbly?
