Emphasis Preaching Journal

It's a struggle to keep it. Ministers tussle mightily to retain it. As with a suit or dress ten sizes too large, we can't bear to be seen in it. Yet, not having it reduces our chances of heaven. We'd have better luck doing a limbo under a gnat's knee. I refer to humility. You find few role models of it in professional sports. Even seminaries suffer a scarcity of models.

We hate smart-aleck know-it-alls, but love it when we identify Jeopardy clues and Bible class answers. We want to be considered as great.

Jesus warned that many of us who pride ourselves on knowing the way to heaven will be amazed by our failure to get there. Those who attain it will be the ones who never thought themselves good enough to deserve it. Though we struggle to act humble, it's refreshing to find humility in others. It not only delights us to be around humble people, God wants us to act humbly so that others can be refreshed. How can we do it?

For a while I tried to appear humble. "Why are you slouching? Straighten your shoulders," my wife said. Trying to look humble is as ludicrous as attempting to look brilliant. With reservations, I offer two secrets of humility: First, we remember that compared to God, we're less than mites, and second, Jesus sent us to serve, as he was among "as one who serves."