I like things in black and white. I like to understand why things are the way they are and why people act the way they do. I like to be able to say without a doubt that something is right or wrong. But the world often doesn’t work that way. There are many grey areas and people are comprised of layer upon layer. My mentality really doesn’t stand a chance! J Yet I continue to think and try to figure it out anyway and come to SOME sort of conclusion, often by bouncing ideas off people.
That being said, on to my actual topic… although maybe I shouldn’t say “topic” and should just pose this as a question. What IS humility? The world tells us to stick up for ourselves and not to let people walk all over us. Even the Bible seems to give a mixed message. We are to humble ourselves, “turn the other cheek”, and allow ourselves to be persecuted (something that we, in North America, likely know very little about). Yet, I think the Bible also teaches that we are to be bold and to approach people with confidence. (This is where I should likely back this up biblically… but I’m feeling kinda lazy:P). I often get so confused. I am part of situations and witness other situations and feel torn about how I should react. My sinful nature (I guess) wants to stick up for myself and say “don’t even think about trying to take from me. I’m not an idiot! I’m not weak!”. But has this idea been completely fed to me by the world? And how much am I responsible to others? There are times when, by giving in to people, I’m only feeding their own sinful nature. So, where is the line? When do I stand up and when to I give in? Ahhh! hahaJ
I read a story about a guy who had an employee accuse him of withholding $2500 of his pay. The employer had not done this and had complete proof of this. He could have easily just pulled out the papers and sent the employee on his way. Instead, since he had the money in the bank, he chose to just give him the money instead. This is incredible to me! I think I would really struggle with that. The bad guy wins? We don’t want the bad guys to win, do we?? (haha) Anyway, I love this story and hope that my pride wouldn’t get in the way if I was ever put in a similar situation.
Perhaps I’ve just got the wrong focus on this humility stuff. Maybe I’m making it too much about ME and that’s why I struggle with it. Maybe I’m putting the emphasis on myself and my own feelings instead of where it’s supposed to be. The Bible says, "We do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus' sake" (2 Corinthians 4:5). It’s not about me and bolstering my ego. It’s about my service to Christ and loving others. How I long to be truly humble and not care if I am made to look weak or like a fool! All I say and do should be a reflection of Christ and His love for all people. I should care more about how I make my Savior look than how I, myself, look.
I have yet to really wrap my mind around this… but for now, my head hurts! :):P
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1 comment:
Good thinking.
A couple notes...
1 Where you find your aparent contradiction in the bible as far as humiliy vs boldness goes I think its not quite so. To a large extent boldness requires great humility. Maybe you should look at it another way... from our stand point we have all power, authority, truth and pretty much the deck is stacked in our favor come Jesus and so when we approach people we have all boldness and all confidence to do that... but at the same time we are not to let our elevated status (if we want to call it that) be all that cause frankly its a lie to think that we are, apart from Christ, anything but the lowliest.
2. On the note about being stepped on... Justice is the Lord's but often we want to bring it about ourselves. Generally when we seek retribution we don't take into account that we hold no authority over the justice in the world. Its not for us to cast the first stone because we aren't made to judge. If we forgive and forget the wrong doer has nothing to blame us for. Its tough but I think we are to allow conviction of soul to take place so that the actions of the individual judge themself by the sheer fact that they have nothing to focus on but their wrongdoings and not ours. This maybe eventually look like a ticket for evil to reign in the world but remember that vindication and salvation await... (as well as judgement)
P the P
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