As many of you here know, we have been studying the book of Proverbs since February in a series called Wisdom that Works. So far this month we have talked about the power of words, fulfilling friendships, last week we heard about wisdom for anger and today, we come to the subject of the way of humility.
Why is humility an important topic? As Andrew Murray wrote in the late 1800s, “Humility...is the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue.” In other words, humility is not so much a grace or virtue along with others, it is the root of all virtues. The fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, can only grow out of a humble heart that is entirely dependent upon God.
Unfortunately, humility and the fear of the Lord are not the Zeitgeist of our time. Just as humility is the root of all virtues, pride, the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil. Pride can be defined as rebellion against God because it attributes to self the honor and glory due to God alone.
We live in a narcissistic age where people of power and popularity are too impressed with themselves. If that’s not enough, the same people also convince us to be impressed with them as well.
Tim Keller said:
We are a self-absorbed culture - meaning we are more and more absorbed in doing whatever or pursuing whatever we believe will fulfill our own perceived needs.
This self-absorption is not just found outside of the church either. Murray had observed over a hundred years ago just how little humility was sought after as a distinguishing feature of a follower of Christ. But ironically, it is the only root from which the graces can grow. Humility is the condition for true fellowship with Jesus and the only condition by which we can be conformed into His image.
Prov 11:2 says,
When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom (BSB).
As I have mentioned earlier in this series, pride rears its ugly head when we refuse to accept our creatureliness; refuse to admit that we are limited, frail, fallen and dependent on God for our very breath. Pride does whatever it takes to preserve self and makes ourselves the sole source of our identity. John Stott summed it up this way: “Pride is the greatest enemy and humility our greatest friend.”
Proverbs 22:4
The reward for humility and fear of the Lord is riches and honor and life (ESV).
If you think about it, even with all of the self- aggrandizement we witness today, it is the humble people that truly stand out from the rest of the pack. Even in the business realm, research has shown that humble bosses make the best bosses. According to a study found in Harvard Business Review, “Humble leaders inspire close teamwork, rapid learning and high performance in their teams.” The author of the article went on to say, “We live in a world where ego gets attention but modesty gets results. Where arrogance makes headlines but humility makes a difference.” He called ambition with humility “Humbition.” For these leaders their ambition is for the success of the organization and for others within the organization. With humility comes wisdom.
But what is humility? What it is not, is self-condemnation, self-abhorrence or self-deprivation which is simply occupation with self. Humility is a disposition that comes from having a revelation of God. A revelation of God’s law condemning sin but a revelation of His grace delivering us from it. This is what makes us humble.
Humility is having a realistic estimation of ourselves compared to an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-wise, righteous and sovereign God. This is what it means to have a healthy fear of the Lord. It’s also knowing who Christ is, what He gave up for us, and all that He did for us.
Puritan John Flavel said, “They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves, cannot be proud.”
As I was reading through the verse on humility in the book of Proverbs, I was noticing a pattern. Wherever you see the word humility it is associated with:
Listening,
Learning, and
Living
Let’s look at the first characteristic associated with humility:
Listening
Proverbs 15:31-33 (NASB)
He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise. He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. The fear of the Lord is the instruction for wisdom, and before honor comes humility.
To put it simply, listening to instruction requires humility. It’s not just listening to someone or something about a subject but has to do with your attitude about what you are hearing.
In this passage, the word “listen” means to come under, to yield with the intent of obeying what you’ve heard. The wisdom of humility recognizes that you do not have all the answers and you do not have everything figured out. Listening to instruction with the intent to obey it is humility. Why does listening require humility? Because by nature, we are prideful and do not like to submit to other people’s, let alone God’s counsel.
Our reaction may be to downplay the advice, “I don’t need to listen to this, I know better than ...my - you fill in the blank: parents, friends, supervisor, boss, teacher, professor, pastor, or even what God says about the situation.” But Prov 12:15 says,
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice (ESV).
A wise person is humble enough to know they are not perfect, don’t have all-knowledge and, therefore, they are not always right. The humble person appreciates the truth no matter who it comes from. They are open to hearing what others have to say, open to other points of view, to words of instruction, advice, and correction. Listening means taking the truth to heart, no matter how much it may hurt. It takes humility to listen to and consider what is said, to ponder it and let it change your mind. If it concerns a sin, a fault, failure, blind spot or misunderstanding, be humble enough to listen to others and change your ways if necessary, in order to be in right relationship to God and others around you.
The way of humility is to recognize that no matter how old you are, how successful or talented, no matter how many degrees you may have, how long you have been a Christian or been in the church - you still have a lot to learn. This brings us to the second characteristic associated with humility...
Learning
Humble people have not just learned lessons in life, they have made the decision to be lifelong learners. How can we continue to learn unless we listen? How can we grow in wisdom unless we are teachable? How can we change unless we are open to changing our minds and being changed by God?
Throughout Proverbs, the way of humility is always associated with learning even if some of the lessons we learn from God are very challenging. Life has a way of humbling us. In those times we need to listen to and accept advice as well as correction.
John Calvin said:
For our wisdom ought to be nothing else than to embrace with humble teachableness, and at least without finding fault, whatever is taught in sacred Scripture.
Prov 1:5 says,
Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.
And Prov 9:9 says,
Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still; teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.
Prov 3:11 says,
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent His rebuke;
In his daily devotional we have been reading together this year, Tim Keller wrote:
We should habitually seek out others who know more than we do about a subject and learn from them. We should have an entire life marked by being teachable rather than opinionated.
Why do you think so many Christians are in the same place they were with the Lord 10 or even 20 years ago, experiencing zero growth, zero transformation, are no closer to God, waning passion for His Word and no longer think about or desire to know His perfect will or His ways? It is because they stopped listening and learning from God and others. I believe we can all think of people we know with whom this is the case. Maybe we see this person when we look in the mirror.
People stop maturing in Christ because at some point, they stopped listening to the Word and no longer have a heart for learning from God and others. They stopped fellowshipping with fervent believers who sharpen them. And when they stopped listening and learning, for whatever reason they may find to justify it, they stopped growing. But what they don’t realize is that when you stop growing you start dying.
When a humble person listens and learns, they will not act in a way that brings disgrace on him or herself, on the church, or upon the name of the Lord. Even when they feel they have been treated unjustly or that life is unfair, they will live in a way that honors God and His Word in everything and above everything else - above culture, above friends, and above their personal preferences.
Humility recognizes that the only way to truly live is to be delivered from pride through surrender to God in utter dependence on Him. Which brings us to the last point:
Living
By listening and learning in humility, we begin to live. And God provided us with the perfect example of humility - Christ Himself.
Phil 2:5-9:
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name (NIV).
The amplified version says,
Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility];
Humility is found in the person of Jesus Christ, who co-created the universe and existed in the form and unchanging essence of God, One with Him. Though Jesus possessed the entire nature of deity, with attributes such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, He willingly took on the form not just of a human being but of a lowly servant. This second Person of the Trinity humbled himself, not once but repeatedly, in an ever-descending sequence: From heaven to earth, from God to man: from man to slave: from obedient slave to death on a cross, to deliver us from death and eternal separation from God because He loved us so much.
The wisdom of humility is God becoming a man to save us, to set us free. And He didn’t just save and redeem us, He came to be the Servant of all.
My question is: What do you think would happen if we had this same humble mindset towards others? If you used the freedom Christ purchased for you to willingly serve Him and others and become a vital member of the body of Christ? It would transform your life and your relationships. This is the way of humility.
James 3:13 AMP asks us,
Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds
with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom.
Instead of criticizing and finding fault with one another, what would happen if our church reflected the same humility and servitude that Christ revealed when He took off His robe, tied a towel around His waist and washed His disciples’ dirty feet? A lot of healing would happen in the midst of the church.
Andrew Murray said,
Salvation is union with and delight in, salvation is participation in the humility of Jesus. Is it
any wonder that our faith is so feeble when pride still reigns so much that we don’t even long
for or pray for humility, the most needful and blessed part of salvation?
What do others say about your life? What is the testimony of the people closest to you? That you love God and walk with Him, that you listen, learn from, and serve others? Is this our daily attitude? We are a proud people, desiring to be humble yet we have a long way to go.
When we humble ourselves before the Almighty God, He gives us the power that enables us to be humble with others. When I come before God in admission of my absolute need for Him, He meets me there. And as one man of God said, when we humble ourselves... just as water always seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds a person abased and empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and to bless. While God opposes the proud, He is personally and providentially supportive of the humble.
Isaiah 57:15 (NKJV) says,
For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
All that the Lord God extends to the humble, to those who listen to Him, learn from Him and live for Him by honoring Him is indescribably rich and full of life. This is the way of humility; this is the reward of humility and the fear of the Lord.
If I Listen - I’ll Learn, If I Learn - I’ll Live.
