What Jesus teaches about Humility
Introduction
Welcome to today’s devotional where we explore one of the most fundamental lessons that Jesus taught us during His time on earth: Humility. In a world that often rewards ostentation and self-promotion, we are challenged to embrace the opposite virtue and follow the humble path laid by our Savior.
Our Lord Jesus lived and breathed humility, showing us what it means to put others before ourselves and to seek God’s glory rather than our own. Let’s delve deeper into this divine attribute and learn how we can apply it in our own lives.
Bible Verse
“For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
Meaning
This verse beautifully encapsulates the paradoxical essence of Christian humility. In a culture that applauds prestige and status, Jesus teaches the opposite – that true greatness comes from humbling ourselves.
As we reflect on the life of Jesus, we see the perfect model of humility. Despite having all the power and glory in the universe, He chose to be born in a manger and lived a life of service. He washed the feet of His disciples, illustrating that no task is too menial when done out of love.
Jesus didn’t just speak about humility. He lived it. In the biblical story, this statement comes as an admonishment against the Pharisees, who were renowned for their pious and self-exalting behaviour. Jesus was reminding them (and all of us) of the importance of a humble and genuine devotion to God.
Actions to Take
- Practice serving others – offer help to a neighbor, volunteer at a local charity or simply lend a listening ear to a friend in need.
- Reflect on your motivations – are the things you’re doing done for self-glory or out of genuine love and respect for God and others?
- Confess and repent of pride – ask God to reveal areas where pride is hindering your spiritual growth and seek His help in overcoming this.
- Spend time in prayer and reading God’s word – this will help to cultivate a spirit of humility within you.
- Give praise and thanks to God – acknowledging that all good things come from God helps to keep pride at bay.
Journal Prompts
- What are some areas in your life where you’ve seen pride creeping in? How can you address this?
- How can you serve others in your community in a practical way this week?
- Who in your life exemplifies humility and what can you learn from them?
- Reflect on a moment when God used a humbling experience to grow your faith or character?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, teach me to embody the humility that You so beautifully modelled. Let me be a servant to others, not seeking glory for myself but rather pointing them towards Your love and grace. Reveal to me areas of pride and replace them with a spirit of humility. This I ask in Your precious name, Amen.
Social Posts
- “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less. Let’s mirror Jesus’ humble heart today and always.”
- “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom – Prov 11:2. In a world that often rewards vanity, let’s choose the humble path laid by Christ.”
- “Jesus was the perfect model of humility. Even though He was King, He chose to serve. How can we follow His example today?”
Conclusion
Humbling ourselves may seem counterintuitive in a world focused on self-promotion. Yet, as we’ve seen with Jesus’ teachings, this is the way to a fulfilled Christian life. After all, the essence of Christianity is not about lifting ourselves, but lifting God and others.
Continue exploring the illuminating teachings of Jesus with us, and let’s lift each other up on this journey towards humility and service. We look forward to welcoming you again at BGodInspired.com where we continue to glean more of God’s wisdom together.
Do you want to know more about what Jesus teaches about ANY topic? Then try our What Jesus Teaches GPT. This is a great modern-day companion – simply search any topic and see what Jesus has to say about it.
