Strength in Humility
Two brothers grew up tending the family land. One brother staying at the farm, but the other grew tired and Eventually moved to the big city, became a high-powered executive, and became a billionaire.
Decades later, the city brother returned to the village. Seeing his brother still working in the heat, he said, "Bro, I’ve made a name for myself; I’m a self made Billionaire. I’ve built my company from the ground up. I have 100 employees, We’re a strong company and I’ve franchised by business already. I have about 50 stores na in Metro Manila. I’ve been invited to speak in many conferences and conventions, I think i have about 3million followers now in Tiktok. Grabe diba, time flies. How about you bro? I haven’t seen you in a long time; you’re still here, still farming, still planting rice pa rin? Why don’t you do something important kasi, so that you can make a name for yourself. If I can do it; so can you bro!
The farmer brother stayed quiet for a moment, then wiped the sweat from his brow and pointed to the vast, golden rice paddy behind them.
"Look at the rice, brother," he said gently. "The stalks that stand up straight and stiff, yung payat and mataas, are the ones that are empty and hollow inside, walang laman..
But the stalks that are heavy with grain—the ones that are most fruitful, the most abundant, the most developed, the most mature—are the ones that bow the lowest to GOD."
Understand this brothers and sisters, the "bowing" of the rice stalk isn't a sign of weakness or low self-esteem; it is a sign of SUBSTANCE. His confidence isn't in his title or accomplishments, but in God who gave the rain and the growth.
1 Peter 5:5 – "All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'"
We often mistake humility for a lack of confidence. We think the humble person is the one who stays in the shadows, speaks in whispers, and doubts their own ability. But biblical humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is confidence in the greatness of God.
A humble man knows His identity in Christ and is NOT swayed by the identity the world wants him to become.
True humility comes from being so full of God’s grace that you don't need to stand tall to impress men.
The city brother on the other hand - stands tall but is "empty."
God, not only opposes the proud - HE gives a stern warning:
Obadiah 1:3-4 – "The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?'" Though you soar aloft like the eagle, though your nest is set among the stars, from there I will bring you down, declares the Lord.
This morning, I want us to go through this wonderful book of ESTHER. Where we will unpack our topic this morning on Humility. Are you ready. Alright. Please open your bibles to the book of Esther and we will start from the very first chapter..
A little bit of background, We are introduced to Xerxes. Xerxes wasn't just a leader; he was the ultimate 'Executive' of the world, ruling 127 provinces from India all the way to Ethiopia (Cush). For 180 days, he put on a massive display of his wealth—six months of display' to show the world his power.Imagine that! Six months of showing off.
He was like that brother in our story who went to the city and became hollow. He stood tall, he stood stiff, and he wanted everyone to look at him. But look at his heart: it was "merry with wine." It was empty.
When you are empty inside, you have to make a lot of noise and put on a big show to feel important.
Lets take it from Verse 10:
Esther 1:10–11
"On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him... to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at."
Then we have Queen Vashti. The King sends for her. He doesn’t want a wife; he wants a trophy. He wants to put her on display like a piece of furniture.
But Vashti refused. She simply said NO! Imagine saying no to the KING! Some people call that pride, - they will say, how can you say no to the KING!
BUT Humility is Confidence in God-given dignity.
The King was enraged. He stripped her of her crown. He sent out a decree. It cost Vashti everything.
My brothers and sisters, sometimes staying "humble" will cost you.
Vashti lost her crown, but she kept her integrity. Her identity before God—was more valuable than her "gold."
True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself exactly as God does.
Let me tell you this - Brothers and sisters - don't envy the "Billionaire brother" or the "Xerxes" in your life. SOME people are standing tall only because they are empty. They have the followers, they have the 50 stores in Metro Manila, but they are "hanging by a thread" because their confidence is in themselves.
Humility is having so much confidence in who God made you to be that you don't need the applause of others, you don’t need trophies, recognitions, plaques or awards. .
Chapter 2
NOW MOVING ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER.
The King woke up from his drunken anger and remembered Vashti (Esther 2:1). But instead of repenting, his advisors suggested a global search for the most beautiful women. They wanted to replace one "trophy" with another.
But God was planting a different kind of seed in the palace.
While the King is looking for outward beauty, the Bible introduces us to a man named Mordecai and his cousin Esther.
They were exiles. They were NOT "Billionaires" in the city; they were people who knew what it meant to struggle.
Unlike the other women who spent a year in beauty treatments and clamored for the King's attention, Esther was completely humble.
Esther 2:15 – “When the turn came for Esther… she asked for nothing other than what Hegai, the king’s eunuch who was in charge of the harem, suggested. And Esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.”
Humility does not grasp for position or recognition. It waits on God’s favor, trusts His timing, and follows godly counsel.
James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”
So in
Esther 2:17 – "Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti."
Meanwhile, While sitting at the King’s gate—a humble position—Mordecai overhears a plot by two of the King’s officers to assassinate Xerxes (Esther 2:21-22).
Mordecai tells Esther, Esther tells the King, the plot is foiled, and the assassins are caught.
Look at verse 23: "All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king."
But that’s it! No reward. No "Employee of the Month" award. No "Franchise" given to him. No increase in followers. Mordecai saves the King’s life and then... he just goes back to the gate.
Others would have been furious! "I saved your life! Where is my recognition? Where is my viral video? Where is my commission?" But a man whose confidence is in God doesn't panic when men forget to thank him.
You might be the one doing all the work in the office while your boss takes the credit.
You might be the one sacrificing for the family back home, and no one says "Thank you."
Mordecai was okay with being "unrecognized" because he knew his name was written in a higher Book than the King’s annals. He was bowing to the King of Kings, not to the approval of Xerxes.
Humility is being able to save the King and then go back to sitting at the gate.
It is the confidence that God sees in secret, and God will reward in His time. Mordecai didn't need to "make a name for himself" because he knew God already knew his name.
Chapter 3
NOW LET MOVE TO CHAPTER 3; Just like in a telenovela. We see a villain enter the scene. Enter: Haman.
Esther 3:1-2 – "King Xerxes honored Haman... giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate bowed down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this..."
Haman - He is tall, he is high-ranking, but he is empty. How do we know he is empty? Because a person who is full of God doesn't need everyone else to bow to them to feel important.
Haman’s entire identity depended on the "agreement of everyone." to everything he says.
Then we see Mordecai. Remember, he’s still at the gate. He’s the one who saved the King and got zero credit.
Esther 3:2 – "But Mordecai would not bow down or show him honor."
Mordecai’s "refusal" to bow wasn't pride; it was Humble Confidence.
When HAMAN realizes someone won’t acknowledge his power, influence, he doesn't just get annoyed; he gets destructive.
Esther 3:5-6 – "When Haman saw that Mordecai would not bow down... he was filled with rage. Instead of killing only Mordecai... he looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people."
Brothers and sisters, here is the lesson for us today:
You know that a leader who demands respect through fear is usually a leader who is hiding weakness. Haman was powerful on the outside, but a slave to his ego on the inside.
In Filipino; We have a saying, "Mababang loob" (Humble heart). Mordecai had mababang loob before God, which gave him the lakas ng loob (courage) to stand before Haman.
A humble man is a dangerous man to the world because he cannot be bought, he cannot be intimidated, and he doesn't need your "Like" or your "Follow" to know he is valuable.
The Bridge: Because Mordecai refused to bow, Haman convinced the King to sign a decree to wipe out all the Jews. The King signed it without even looking at the fine print (Esther 3:10-11).
Chapter 4
When Mordecai hears of the decree to destroy the Jews, he doesn't use his "connections" in the palace to save himself.
He puts on sackcloth and ashes. He bows even lower before God and prays!
Mordecai sends a message to Esther, who is safe inside the palace, unaware of the death sentence on her people. He tells her she must go to the King to save HER People the JEWS!. But Esther is afraid.
She tells Mordecai, "Anyone who approaches the King without being summoned can be put to death—unless he extends his gold scepter" (Esther 4:11).
Esther was worried about her own safety, her own "crown," and her own life.
For a moment, she was tempted to stay "safe" and “SECURE ”in her high-powered position.
Then Mordecai sends back the most famous words in the book.
He reminds her that her "TRUE VALUE" doesn't come from her beauty or her title, but from her Purpose.
Esther 4:13-14 – "Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape... And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"
Esther’s response is the ultimate definition of Humility as Confidence in God. She calls for a fast. She calls for a prayer meeting.
Esther 4:16 – "I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
The "If I Perish" Mindset: This is Absolute Confidence. * She wasn't confident that she would survive; she was confident that God was in control whether she lived or died.
Brothers and sisters, listen to this carefully:
Humility is knowing that you are exactly where God wants you to be, to do exactly what God wants you to do.
Friends - You might be in a "palace" - a good job, a position of influence; or you might be struggling where you are! PRAY to GOD! PRay unceasingly, Fast if need be! Wherever you are, you are there "for such a time as this."
SO Esther has made her decision. She is ready to walk into the presence of the King Xerxes.
Esther has finished her three-day fast. She is physically weak, but she was full of confidence in GOD!
Esther 5:1-2 – "On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace... When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter."
Esther didn't come with a Facebook rant or a list of demands. She stood there in Humble Confidence. She didn't need to shout to be heard because she had already had a purpose from GOD.
So The King asks what she wants even offering her up to half his kingdom!—BUT Esther doesn't SAY YES! I want Half the Kingdom! She didn’t ask for MONEY…. She answers in humility:
Esther 5:4 – "'If it pleases the king,' replied Esther, 'let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared...'"
This is Tactful Humility. She invites her enemy to dinner.
Why? Because a Humble Person doesn't need to strike fast; they can wait for God’s timing.*
Esther is at peace WAITING for GODs timing. BUT lets look at Haman. He leaves the banquet "happy and in high spirits" (v. 9). But then he sees Mordecai at the gate.
Esther 5:9 – "But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai."
Haman has:
A seat at the Queen's private table.
The King's favor.
10 sons and vast wealth.
But because one man won't bow to him, his whole world falls apart.
Esther 5:13 – "But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king’s gate."
Haman was insecure. Listen; If your confidence is in your own ego, you are never truly free.
One person's "dislike" can ruin your whole day.
Haman’s wife and friends give him some advice. They tell him, in
Esther 1:14 – "His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him, 'Have a pole set up, reaching to a height of fifty cubits (75 feet), and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai impaled on it. Then go with the king to the handsomely prepared banquet and enjoy yourself.'"
We call this "Nagpapakitang-tao" (doing things for show). Haman wanted a big, public show of his power.
Haman went to sleep that night happy. But while Haman was dreaming of his plans, GOD was about to keep the King awake.
This is the "Divine Plot Twist." If this were a movie, the music would change here. While Haman is sleeping soundly, dreaming of his 75-foot gallows, GOD was working.
Chapter 6:
Esther 6:1 – "That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him."
Xerxes who has everything - can't find peace. He's tossing and turning. To pass the time, he asks for the "Company Records."
And look what happens! Out of thousands of pages, the scribe "happens" to read the entry about Mordecai—the man who saved the King’s life years ago - Esther 2:21-23
The King asks, "What honor and recognition has Mordecai received for this?" The answer from the attendants: "Nothing has been done for him" (v. 3).
There’s a Truth here that I want you to remember: Your "good works" doesn't disappear just because people forget to clap. God keeps the books, church! He remembers your faithfulness.
NOW Just as the King is thinking about how to reward Mordecai, who walks into the court? HAMAN! He’s there to ask permission to hang Mordecai on that 75-foot gallows.
The King asks Haman in v6:
"What should be done for the man the king delights to honor?" (v. 6)
Esther 6:6 – "Now Haman thought to himself, 'Who is there that the king would rather honor than me?'"
Haman is so full of himself that he can't imagine anyone else being important.
He suggests a royal robe, a royal horse, and a public parade through the city streets.
Then the King gives the command that shatters Haman’s world:
Esther 6:10 – "'Go at once,' the king commanded Haman. 'Get the robe and the horse and do just as you have suggested for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Do not neglect anything you have recommended.'"
Can you imagine the scene? Haman, is now forced to lead the horse of the Mordecai!
And here’s what’s amazing: Mordecai didn't even ask for this! After the parade, look at what he does in Verse 12: "Afterward Mordecai returned to the king’s gate."
Mordecai didn't let the "Fame" go to his head. He went right back to his post. Why? Because his Confidence was in God, not in the King's horse.
Psalm 37:6–7 – “He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Humility waits for God’s vindication. It does not demand recognition but trusts that God will exalt the humble and humble the proud in His time.
1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”
Remember Church, Pride always leads to humiliation.
Proverbs 16:8 Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.
What does haughty mean - this means - Self-Important, Arrogant, Egoistic,
Don’t chase recognition or reward—serve faithfully and let God honor you in His time.
Resist bitterness when overlooked; God sees and remembers every act of faithfulness.
Trust that God will reverse situations in His sovereignty, just as He did for Mordecai.
Reflect: Are there areas where you feel unnoticed or unrewarded?
Commit those areas to God, trusting Him to vindicate you.
SO Haman goes home with his head covered in shame (v. 12). His 75-foot gallows are still standing in his backyard, waiting.
Here’s how it all ends brothers and sisters, at the second banquet, the King finally asks Esther, "What is your petition?" Esther doesn't ask for wealth or more franchises. She bows low and says,
"Grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request."
When the King demands to know who would dare threaten his Queen, Esther points her finger at HAMAN!
Xerxes, in a rage, learns about the 75-foot gallows Haman built for Mordecai.
"The king said, 'Impale him on it!' So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai. Then the king’s fury subsided."
The very thing Haman built to lift himself up through the destruction of others became the instrument of his own fall.
The world rewards the one who stands the tallest, but God favors the one who bows the lowest.
Matthew 23:12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
The King and the Keeper of the Grain
A long time ago, a great and wise King ruled over a land of rolling hills and endless rice paddies. Though he sat on a golden throne, his heart was always with the people who labored in the sun.
One day, the King took off his royal robes, put on the tattered clothes of a common laborer, and walked out into the countryside. He made his way to a remote corner of the kingdom where a lonely old man lived in a small hut, tasked with guarding the village’s communal rice store.
The King sat with the man in the dust. Day after day, he returned to the hut. They shared simple meals of coarse, sun-dried rice and salt. They talked of the rains and the harvest, and the King listened to the old man’s stories of loneliness and hard work. The worker became deeply attached to this stranger because he "came where he was."
Finally, the day came for the King to reveal his true identity. Standing tall, he told the man who he really was. The King waited, expecting the man to fall to his knees and beg for gold, a new house, or a high position in the palace.
Instead, the old man looked long into his leader's face. With tears of wonder in his eyes, he whispered:
"You left your palace and your glory to sit with me in this dirt. You ate my poor food and truly cared about what happens to a man like me. To others, you may give rich gifts and titles, but to me, you have given the greatest gift of all—you have given yourself."
There is one KING that is the epitome of humility. The one KING above all KINGS. And as Christians, we are called to be like HIM. His name is JESUS.
The Apostle Paul gives us this great instruction in Philippians 2:3-11. And let me read it for you here:
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, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Altar Call
