The price of pride is going up. No, really. In an effort to stem showboating and taunting after touchdowns, the NFL has started handing out huge fines totalling thousands of dollars. Pride doesn’t come cheap in our circles either. While we may never get slapped with a fine for a display of arrogance, a lack of humility can hurt a spouse, cause tension between siblings, and divide a congregation. While a professional athlete might be able to compensate for practicing pride by simply paying a penalty, in real life there’s no quick fix. Therefore it’s to our advantage to eliminate the consequences of practicing pride by practicing humility instead. Practicing Christian humility is quite simple - just remember your history and His Story.
What exactly is Christian humility anyway? The word translated as humility in our text (v.2) means gentleness, or meekness. One ancient Greek (Aristotle) defined it as the middle ground between extreme anger and indifference. Humility, therefore, is not just an attitude; it’s an attitude in action. Humility does what is best for others with an unassuming gentleness. That’s what Paul describes in Galatians 6:1. “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently.”
In the opening verses of our text Paul gives us some further examples of how Christian humility manifests itself. “Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, 2 to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate” (Titus 3:1, 2a). Christian humility offers obedience to all those in authority whether it’s Mom, Grandpa, a substitute teacher, or a by-law officer. Even if we think that we know how to lead better than they, Christian humility will recognize that God hasn’t given us that responsibility, at least not yet, and until he does we owe our obedience to these people lest we make their jobs more difficult.
Instead Christian will be peaceable and considerate (v. 2). The word considerate means to be yielding, or willing to give up our rights to keep the peace. For example even though that last piece of pie was supposed to be yours, out of consideration you will be happy to let big brother have it instead. You see, Christian humility isn’t about making sure we get our fair share; it’s about making sure that others are taken care of. We don’t need to worry about standing up for our rights because our Father in heaven has promised to do that for us.
The most difficult thing about practicing Christian humility is that Paul says that this is something we are to do for all people, not just the ones that we get along with (Titus 3:2). We are to show gentleness to those who cut us off on the highway, or run us over with a baby stroller in the mall and don’t bother to say sorry. We are even to practice Christian humility with that individual who thinks he’s always right. Practicing humility, however, doesn’t mean keeping our mouth shut and going along with evil. Remember that humility is the middle ground between harshness and indifference. Therefore we will address wrongs but not in a way that strives to put others in their place. Instead we will seek to correct patiently and gently lest we alienate those whom we are trying to help.
But just how can we show humility to people that we don’t get along with when it’s tough enough being humble around the people that we like? It’s simple – remember your history. Paul said in v. 3, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.”
When you are tempted to get disgusted with another’s rudeness or shallowness just remember your history. We weren’t any better before God found us. At one time we were foolish when it came to spiritual matters. Since we didn’t realize that God takes care of us we spent our time just making sure that we looked after ourselves instead of looking after others. We thought the way to get ahead was to step on and over others. We were enslaved by our passions and lusts, not just indulging them every now and then, but living for them – structuring our life in such a way that we could gratify them. The scary thing is that this isn’t ancient history is it? In fact we even find ourselves living in the past when we do things like abuse alcohol, misuse our body, or treat fellow Christians with contempt and suspicion.
Pride and arrogance quickly vanish when we remember our history because we realize that aren’t better than others. We see that we too need God’s forgiveness and continued guidance even as Christians because our past keeps trying to creep into the present.
While it’s important for us to remember our history God doesn’t want our humility over our past to turn into humiliation. When we have been brought to that point we need to stop and remember His Story. Listen to His Story as Paul describes it in vs. 4, 5a of our text. “But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.”
God’s plan of salvation is all there in those few verses isn’t it? It explains what moved God to save us - his kindness, love, and mercy - certainly not anything we had done. The word that Paul uses for love is philanthropia, which means “a lover of mankind.” That’s a pretty good way to think of God isn’t it –as a philanthropist? Who hasn’t dreamed of having a philanthropist look after us? One who invites us out to his weekend retreat, gives us great presents, pays for our education, and makes sure that we are well taken care of? Well, that’s what we have in our God. A philanthropist who not only provides for our well being here on earth by granting us food and strength but cares for us beyond the grave. He does that through the forgiveness of sins that he gives us through his Son, Jesus.
How can we be certain that all these wonderful blessings really belong to us? Paul explains, “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:5-7). We can be certain that forgiveness, eternal life, and confidence for this life are ours because that’s what we have received through baptism. Baptism assures us that all of God’s promises apply to us. It’s like a confirmation code you might get when you reserve a room at a hotel. That confirmation code assures you that your reservation has been received and that there will be a room waiting for you when you arrive. In the same way baptism assures us that all of God’s promises are true and that they pertain to us and that we can be certain that there is a room waiting for us in heaven when we arrive there.
We know that baptism can do all this because through baptism we receive the Holy Spirit who works through the Word to bring us salvation. Don’t just think that we have received a small measure of the Holy Sprit either. Paul tells us that he has been generously poured out on us just as the Holy Spirit alighted on Jesus at his baptism.
How do we practice Christian humility? By remembering His Story. God has saved us from our wretched way of life and given us a new one. He did this all because of his grace and nothing we brought on ourselves. He didn’t save us because we were smarter than others and had the sense to choose God. We were lost like everyone else and just as a little boy lost in the woods can’t take credit for finding his way home after a rescue party finds him, so we who were lost in our sins can’t take credit for finding our way to heaven. When we remember His Story we realize that we don’t have anything to brag about when it comes to our salvation. As Paul says, we find our boast and pride in the Lord who saved us (Galatians 6:14).
Since God has not only rescued us but equipped us to do the work he has set before us, remembering His Story also allows us to practice Christian humility when it comes to using our talents. Instead of bragging about the talents we have we will want to ask ourselves if we are using these talents for his kingdom? There are many opportunities right here in this little congregation. There are members and prospects that need rides to church, shut-ins that would love to have someone to talk to, visitors that need to receive a friendly follow-up visit, and people willing to organize and manage such efforts. Has God given you any of those gifts? If so have you let others know your willingness to use them? Remember His Story when you consider your ability to serve.
The NFL may think that they have come up with a way to curtail showboating in the end zone but I’m not so sure. Despite the hefty fines players are still parading their pride and in some cases are even happier with the increased notoriety those fines bring. The only way anyone, including Christians, can learn how to practice true humility is to first know history – yours and His. Only when we see that God has rescued us from a worthless life of sin simply because he loved us we will be moved to treat one another with patience, and gentleness and see that pride and arrogance has no place in God’s family. Brothers and sisters, practice Christian humility with one another and build up what God has already put together. Amen.
