Please click if you would like to read all of the posts in the
series “Lent: A Non-Liturgical Look{2013}”.

I missed last weeks Lent post and was tempted to avoid the topic all together. Then decided, the topic was not something I should put aside.

I wanted to mind you…

But sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do. This topic speaks to me daily…just about as much as JOY has over this past year {okay, maybe more like decade!}.

Humility

Not exactly a topic people LOVE to sit around and discuss. I mean really, the quality of humility is pretty easy to define, but so challenging to implement! Once we start talking about how God is working out humility in our lives…there is goes…flying out of the window!

Humility is something that is lived out,
not talked about. <click

Still, it’s also an important subject to study because of the closeness it brings us to God {as through the example of Christ’s life}. Of all the character qualities of Christ, humility is the one that most describes Him in my mind.

I recently read that the word “humility” comes from the Latin word meaning “ground, earth, soil” thus the idea of something described as “low or lowly”.

“The term “humility” comes from the Latin word humilitas, a noun related to the adjective humilis, which may be translated as “humble”…

Interestingly, the word “meek” is derived from the word humble and when you combine these two words, you get a wonderful picture our how Jesus represented Himself on earth.

Humble: Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful. Showing deferential or submissive respect.

 

Meek: humbly patient or docile, as under provocation from others; forbearing; yielding; unassuming

As perfect as that is of Christ, it is often times the perfect antithesis of me {often, though not all the time :0)}. What spoke to me most was “humbly patient as under provocation from others”.

How Jesus took all his accusers had to offer Him and did so without a word. Without a complaint. Culminating in His words “Father forgive them. They do not know what they are doing?” {Luke 23:34} 

YIKES.

I must say, it is not too challenging to act in a civilized manner when things are going “my way”.

However, if I get cut off on the road? Someone attacks my children’s integrity with no just cause? Someone is not willing to adjust a bill that is inaccurate? My meekness is not always the first virtue to show up.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not a raving lunatic.

Over the past several years I have overcome my yelling loudness when it comes to dealing with other people {non family members at least}. I can be a tad rude snarky and a bit demanding firm {isn’t it entertaining how we use nicer sounding words for really ugly behavior? The whole “gossip verses sharing” thing}. 

Still, my thoughts are not very gracious more times than I care to admit. And honestly, WHAT suffering have I had to “endure”?

A work in progress types these words. I am grateful for His grace and willingness to help me train these flaws out of me!

The 40 days leading up to the crucifixion are strewn with moments of His humility. He was constantly thinking of others above Himself {Read the book of John prior to His death in chapter 19}.

A beautiful picture of this is found in His prayer in the garden of Gethsemane. He was pleading with the Father for strength to face the cross, but also praying for those He knew on earth and the pain they would endure for Him as well as all who would come to believe in Him.

I often share the music of Michael Card. He creates images through music like few other musicians I know.

Here we are invited in to glimpse the agony of Christ as He talked things over with His Heavenly father, knowing what must be done…and in His humanness knowing He would be mad to not ask for “another way . But there was no other way…

This picture of the angel comforting Christ is stunning.

“And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” Luke 22:39-44

Such beauty and agony in these words…

In the World Vision Lent study, we were challenged to take an inventory of our lives and evaluate the role humility plays on a regular basis. As we look to Jesus these last weeks to Easter, I hope there will be moments of clarity in our lives where we can see the hope of a changed life. One that focuses on others first, as He exemplified to us in every way imaginable. 

“Humble men and women do not have a low opinion of themselves; they have no opinion of themselves because they so rarely think about themselves. The heart of humility lives in undivided attention to God, a fascination with His beauty revealed in creation, a contemplative presence to each person who speaks to us, and a “de-selfing” of our plans, projects, ambitions, and soul. Humility is manifested in an indifference to our intellectual, emotional, and physical well being and a carefree disregard of the image we present.

No longer concerned with appearing to be good, we can move freely in the mystery of who we really are<click,
aware of the sovereignty of God and our absolute insufficiency and yet moved by a spirit of radical self-acceptance without self-concern…Neither overly sensitive to criticism nor inflated by praise, they recognize their brokenness  acknowledge their gifts, and refuse to take themselves too seriously.

~~~Brennan Manning Ruthless Trust:The Ragamuffin’s Path to God~~~

How eager are we to follow in His steps? How willing are we take “take up the basin and the towel” and serve those around us? Doesn’t it start with our family?

How eager are we to earnestly serve with joy and humility those we see every day? It’s easy to say we would do so on the missions field…but Christ did not “go”. He stayed within and served those right there with Him, and at the same time, all of mankind.

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