The first two things I remember my mother and father teaching me are, “There is a God and you are not Him.” I always knew I was an important part of their life and I never doubted their love for me, but it was important to them for me to know that I was not the center of the universe. That teaching has served me well throughout the years.
I have written about humility before, but it was in contrast with pride and I spent most of that post describing the dangers of pride. A humble spirit has its own reward. Peter writes, “So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor.” (1 Peter 5:6) Jesus contrasted life here with life in His Kingdom, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last.” (Matthew 20:16)
That familiar line in the Beatitudes about the meek is translated this way in the NLT, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.” (Matthew 5:5) Looking around today at what is going on in this world I wonder, “Who would ever want to inherit this mess?” Jesus was obviously referring to the new heaven and earth He will establish and that is a reward worth achieving.
Jesus gives us two examples of a humble spirit. The first is that of a young child. The second is that of a servant. Both would be near the bottom of the social ladder from a human point of view, but God has a different vantage point and a very different set of criteria for success.
Albert Einstein once said, “Only a life lived in the service to others is worth living.” When I think of a life of service, Mother Teresa is the first example that comes to mind. Her work with the poorest of the poor in India was loving and tireless. She was admired by millions, but that was never her focus or goal. Everything was about those God put in her care and she served them well.
Being humble or meek doesn’t mean being weak! Ask any caregiver and they will tell you that It takes a lot of strength to do service work for others. The kind of muscles a Christian should build, physically and spiritually, are those needed to lift up others, even carry them for a while. God loves to provide that kind of strength for those serving others. It is important to serve their physical needs, but we must not forget their more urgent spiritual needs. Sharing the Good News of the gospel is the greatest service anyone can provide.