It is not overstating the fact in suggesting that humility is the hallmark of Christian (spiritual) maturity. In other words, we can tell whether or not someone is spiritually mature by the evidence of humility in his or her life: Does he or she have a humble spirit? I don’t know about you but I would rather follow a spiritually mature, that is a humble, leader (pastor, bishop, apostle, prophet, deacon (ness), elder …)
Apostle Paul was talking about humility in Philippians 2:5, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:”. The way Paul puts it suggests that this was not the case in the church: Those aiming at having Christ Jesus’ attitude were the exception rather than the norm. I am not sure that the situation in the church is different today.
My mind goes to Numbers 12:3, “Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.” The verse seems inserted in the chapter as a comment intended to explain Moses’ attitude in general. It says that there was no one more humble on earth than Moses: Just as I was about to write “no wonder God chose to use him…” I realised that the fact that God chose and used him to deliver the Israelites from slavery most likely made him humble considering his background…. Anyone who does not forget where God chose him or her from would keep humble. Failing to be humble would have made Moses a fraud because God was the one working through him. Sadly, most of us tend to forget….
Moses’ humble spirit in Numbers 12 stands in sharp contrast to Miriam and Aaron. The bible says that “they began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite (foreigner) wife (Numbers 12:1). Why did they think that they had the right to talk against Moses? The next verse answers the question: “Hasn’t he [the Lord] also spoken through us?” In other words they believed that being “ministers” of God, like Moses was in their mind, gave them the right to speak against Him. The lord’s response was swift and seemingly harsh, I believe for our sake.
Reading Philippians 2:5-6 feels like Number 12 was at the back of Paul’s mind, even though here Paul’s focus is on Christ Jesus “who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Verse 6 continues, “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death -even death on a cross”. Obeying God unconditionally is made easy by humility.
Where equality is the focus there cannot be humility. See, humility is the only quality that would have someone consider someone else or others better, or think highly of them. Humility is what empowers the spirit of servanthood. It is a reliable weapon against division. It destroys the spirit of judgment. It frees us from being servants of ourselves and empowers us to serve the Lord and his people. It helps us accept to be criticized, and be wrong even when we are right, and not answer back, leaving the way opened for God to take our case instead.
It is important to note that Isaiah describes the Messiah (Jesus Christ) as the Servant of the Lord, just as the Lord refers to Moses in Numbers 12. Please note that it is not by chance that the humility of both Moses and Jesus Christ is highlighted in the bible.
It is not possible to be a true servant of the Lord without a humble heart (humility). Servant of the Lord is not a title but rather a function, just as pastor is not a title…. It is in serving the Lord -not our own ambitions, reputation, desire- that we are seen to be his servants.
The bible has a lot to say about humility. However, suffice for me to encourage us to pray that the Lord will give us the grace to be humble as we aim at having the very attitude (mind) of Christ Jesus and Moses who was a mere man like us (men and women). To God the glory, in Jesus’ name!
