What role does humility play in your walk?

[mike2]

this is said with tongue in cheek, so don't kill the messenger. perhaps, humility is found in one sentence answers and pride is found in 30 sentence answers.

AMEN !!!

[Times]

Humility is a choice, just as forgiveness is a choice. You don't fel either, it is a choice you make.

[David from New Bern]

Humility is a choice, just as forgiveness is a choice. You don't fel either, it is a choice you make.

Humility is an accurate assessment and presentation of who I am. It is the absence of delusion, dishonesty, or hypocrisy. That proper view of yourself is the work of the Holy Spirit. The actions and conversation that flow from this revelation of who you are will lead observers to call you humble. The moment you say so,you cease to be humble. The only legitimate confidence that exist inside of humility is a confidence in the Holy Spirit and His revelation, direction, and discernment.

[tah]

Perhaps we give lips service alone to the issue of humbleness in the church. My question is multifaceted and probably to broad to be covered exhaustively but I think it is worthwhile to converse about and see what we can discover from one another and from the Holy Spirit. What role does humbleness play in our sanctification? Our ability to understand doctrine? Operate in our giftedness? Discussing Biblical truths in which there are differences across the spectrum of Christianity? doing church? participating in apologetics (defending the faith)? reconciliation?...etc... What is the difference between confidence and pride, is it vague or pretty easy to define? What happens when a person displays arrogance or is self-defensive or braggadocious under the disguise of Christian service?

I was really hoping this post would go somewhere..

I guess the reason was from a personal experience with a church's teacher and their personalities..

As a young Christian I had a very hard time hearing God's word through folks I did not ..

like the looks of..

like the way they spit when they talked..

like the way they yelled..

like the way they we so wishy washy in their speech..

like the way they seemed arrogant in their speech..

like the way they whatever...

and the list goes on..

A very dear friend told me what my problem was..

You see we all have our idiosyncrasies and we have to forgive them in others and in ourselves..

Anyhow she told me that I needed to look past the outside of people and look to the Christ within them..If that is what I am seeking that is what I am going to find..

when I started to practice doing that I was able to hear God in these people and therefore to grow in the Lord ...

If the person is a leader in the church as has a problem God is plenty big enough to teach him humility...

If I see it then my responsibility as a member of the congregation to pray for him that God will teach him and me in he process..

and if I believe God has spoken a word to me about it then I have the responsibility to speak it to the leader..and leave it there..

It takes a humbleness on our part to receive from anyone...whether they are showing that virtue to us or not...

I hope that we can grow enough in Christ to see past the outside of people and see the inside ..

I fall short of this often but I belive it to be the truth and try to walk in it when it pops up for me..

[Guest jckduboise]

Humility is something we all have, but we have to learn to let it show, and be confident that in letting it show, the Lord will use it.

I have, in some situations, even though I thought I new it all, purposely taken the position of humility, of not knowing, of being unsure, and God has taught me things I never would have learned otherwise (how humiliating, hm tah).

Mike , I am not sure I agree with that..pride comes naturally but humility is learned..

At least that is the way I see it..

How many children have to be taught to be prideful..

nary a one..but you do have to teach them humility..

What do you mean by "let it show, and be confident that in letting it show, the Lord will use it."?

I don't understand what you mean by "taken the position of humility"?

Are you thinking about "vulnerability" ?

Pride is the opposite of humility and is something we use, to ward off the feeling of humility.

We have heard the expression "pride goeth before the fall",.... the fall to humiliation.

The awareness and ability to be humble is something that we have, or God, would not ask us to show it.

I do agree that it is something we have to learn to show, just as we have to learn how to show love, the more we show love....the more we show love, it grows in us.

We can be humble (take the position of humility) in so many ways, it all depends on our personality and those around us.

eg. letting someone go through the whole explanation of something you are thoroughly versed in, without interupting or rolling your eyes.

To some that would be considered polite, to others it would be considered a humble gesture.

To someone that is learning about something, you may have given them the first oppotunity to trully express themselves.

And, in so doing, you may gain another perspective of something you thought you knew inside and out.

There are many ways to be humble, unfortunately we look at humiliation as an embarassment.

How can we witness, if we are afraid of humiliation. If we dont experience humiliation and learn to be humble, we will witness based on our pride in knowledge, rather than by the Spirit, and if we dont have the recquired knowledge...we are reluctant to speak about the wonders of God.........for fear of humiliation

Most importantly being humble is soothing to those around us, and allows them the comfort to open up.

We don't always have to exude confidence, especially in situations that we are not familiar, if we allow ourselves to be humble in those situations we set the example to others that it is OK if we need to be led, that we dont know and need help.

I do not mean the position of vulnerability in that I would appear weak, but, in a non judgemental way, in a way that it would allow someone to express themselves, without fear of being wrong.

Our being humble allows us to teach in a different way then we may normally consider, and it allows us to learn more because we are not afraid to be humbled.

Mike, Your words are so true.

And the point of being non judgemental to allow others to express themselves builds trust..trust is important.

As far the being humiliated and feeling shame those things come from satan alone. He wants us to keep our pride, our judgemental behaviors, our I gotta know it all and be right all the time and any other opinion is just plain stupid attitudes. They keep us from the wonderful life with God. Yeah we might still be Christian and be saved but on earth we are still miserable and lonely because who wants to be around people like that?

Be forwarned: whoever exalts himself will be humbled Mt 23:12

Edited May 16, 2006 by jckduboise

[Guest jckduboise]

Humility is a choice, just as forgiveness is a choice. You don't fel either, it is a choice you make.

Humility is an accurate assessment and presentation of who I am. It is the absence of delusion, dishonesty, or hypocrisy. That proper view of yourself is the work of the Holy Spirit. The actions and conversation that flow from this revelation of who you are will lead observers to call you humble. The moment you say so,you cease to be humble. The only legitimate confidence that exist inside of humility is a confidence in the Holy Spirit and His revelation, direction, and discernment.

I could not have said that better myself brother.

[shepherdsgrace]

May I join in with a comment or two or three without my words being counted.

1. We are commanded to humble ourselves. This is physical. It is something we do. We give way before each other even when we do not desire. This starts us on the path of humility.

2. Sooner or later God will humble us. That is excruciating. But it works. Somehow He reveals to us the horrible depth of sin within us. Once we see our terrible deep sinful self then a humble heart is born. Somehow after a few crises experiences like this we just cannot lift ourselves up in our hearts or in our actions. We are humbled.

3. Humility is the base or ground of all other Christian virtues. I cannot have true faith or love or mercy or perseverance or anything without humility. Humility clings to God. Humility leans on her Lover and allows Him to have his way. His faith, His Love, His fruit.

4. Humility comes from God. He our LORD is the MOST HUMBLE of all. He is the KING of KINGS yet He humbles himself to reach to each one of us on a constant basis. We are so full of ourselves and yet He constantly bends and stoops to us.

5. I tell you truthfully that I cannot bear to continue writing.......

[Openly Curious]

May I join in with a comment or two or three without my words being counted.

1. We are commanded to humble ourselves. This is physical. It is something we do. We give way before each other even when we do not desire. This starts us on the path of humility.

2. Sooner or later God will humble us. That is excruciating. But it works. Somehow He reveals to us the horrible depth of sin within us. Once we see our terrible deep sinful self then a humble heart is born. Somehow after a few crises experiences like this we just cannot lift ourselves up in our hearts or in our actions. We are humbled.

3. Humility is the base or ground of all other Christian virtues. I cannot have true faith or love or mercy or perseverance or anything without humility. Humility clings to God. Humility leans on her Lover and allows Him to have his way. His faith, His Love, His fruit.

4. Humility comes from God. He our LORD is the MOST HUMBLE of all. He is the KING of KINGS yet He humbles himself to reach to each one of us on a constant basis. We are so full of ourselves and yet He constantly bends and stoops to us.

5. I tell you truthfully that I cannot bear to continue writing.......

Hello Shepherdsgrace

Your words are so true for God the Father sent his only begotten Son into this world God in flesh He humbled Himself as a man so that He could identify with our nature in order that we would identify with His divine nature. You have great words of wisdom in the things you have said. blessings and peace be upon your house

OC