I’ll Take a Slice of Humble Pie

Humility is NOT something I’m good at.

To be fair, I don’t think I typically come across as arrogant or boastful, but humility takes humble to the next level.

If you’ve been following me, I’m sure you know I am a sucker for the Apostle Paul. Normally, I only cite a passage or two. But this section was so impactful, I’m going to post the whole thing:

3Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6Though he was God,
he did not think of equality
with God
as something to cling to.
7Instead, he gave up his divine
privileges;
he took the humble position
Of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8he humbled himself in obedience
to God
and died a criminal’s death on
a cross.

Philippians 2: 3-8 (NLT)

Can you even imagine? I am so unworthy…

Yet, that is precisely why He did it. Because we are ALL unworthy!

Because we are sinners, we will fail. We might as well accept that right now.

It’s not the failing that matters. What matters is if we fail to try.

When we play games, we play to win, right? Of course we do. But it is not practical to believe you will win every single time.

Even the fastest man in the world wasn’t always the fastest. If he gave up because he didn’t always win, he never would have achieved the title. And once that title was achieved, it is impossible to retain it forever. Eventually the next fastest man in the world would arrive on scene.

In the same way, is it possible for us to approach every situation of every day just as Jesus would? Absolutely not. We are sinners and inevitably, we will fail at that.

But every day we should try…

I start every day with a prayerful reminder to myself that God’s will be done in my life, regardless of whether if it is what I want or not. And I ask the Spirit to guide me to treat others as Jesus would. The more I focus on it, the more the habit develops and the easier it gets to put the “What would Jesus do” thoughts first.

But sometimes (more often than I care to admit) I fail. And that’s okay. This is where we need to allow ourselves the same grace God grants us.

Just remember it’s when we fail to try that we break His heart…

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2 responses to “I’ll Take a Slice of Humble Pie”

  1. God Still Speaks Avatar
    God Still Speaks

    Beautiful, simply beautiful!

    Liked by 1 person

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  2. Even If, Still. Avatar
    Even If, Still.

    Thanks for sharing and reminding us what true humility is. Godly Humility is a high bar! I think sometimes the greatest struggle isn’t what others see, but what’s happening in our own minds- where no one sees. I work in a fast-paced environment where confidence and quick decisions are necessary, but I recognize how easily pride can slip in when I begin relying on myself rather than abiding in Christ.

    I’m studying Romans right now, and I love how Paul reminds us that we all fall short and are justified by grace (Romans 3:23–24), but that we are also called to be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2).

    And I think that’s where humility and abiding in Christ come together. Jesus reminds us in John 15:5 that apart from Him, we can do nothing. The more we remain in Him, the more we recognize our dependence on Him.

    I know I’ll continue to fall short, but my prayer is that I remain willing to recognize my pride, surrender it to Him, and allow Him to keep refining me.

    Not to earn His grace, but because of it.

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