God's Humility and Why We Need It

I can hear someone saying already, "hey, what do you mean God is humble?" Yet, that's what scripture tells us, including about the birth of our Savior. The 'great contradiction' is where God, the eternal and non-physical ruler of the universe, was born into human flesh with all its weaknesses, and in a stable instead of a palace or the temple. But those details also express his humility. Let's learn more.

Is humility the quality of walking around in kind of a low-energy mentality, hanging your head shyly and never admitting that you might be worth something? No, it's 'having a proper and accurate estimation of yourself' and 'not thinking of yourself as superior to others.' God knows he is superior to us, but in the birth of the Son, he also is willing to join us in our messy, smelly, and fallible humanity. Jesus' life shows us the Father (John 14:9) and this humility is one of his qualities we needed to understand.

So why do we need God's humility so badly? Because pride is one of our greatest problems. It's even been described as 'the root of all sins.' Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit because they decided they could, out of pride. We see pride around us all day long. The driver who isn't content until being out in front of everyone. The person who insists on telling you what he/she knows about (fill in the blank, any subject you want to choose!). And our American 'personal freedom,' which isn't really freedom, but pridefully insisting we can make all our own decisions (no matter how foolish our choices are).

Paul the apostle writes of the antidote for our pride in Philippians 2. He starts off in v. 1 by reminding us that we have encouragement, comfort, love, participation in the Spirit -- all gifts from God. He prepares in verses 2-4 to describe for us the mind of Christ our Savior. Notice, he doesn't just give us a list of commands, he focuses our minds on Jesus and asks us to "have this mind" instead of our normal thinking. He writes "complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others"(ESV). Then he encourages us "Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus." He describes that mind in verses 6-8, which many say is from an early Christian hymn.

Christ-followers have that mind in us, through the Holy Spirit living in us. Letting that mind guide us, rather than guiding ourselves by our own foolish, selfish pride, is the point, isn't it? If it were automatic, Paul wouldn't have needed to encourage it -- but we all need that, I believe, so I'm encouraging you too, just like I need it!

We need Christ's humility for many reasons. So during this Advent season as we meditate on the baby in the manger who is actually the Son of the Most High, let's remember his humility, and ask for it as our most important Christmas gift this year.