Why Humility?

The basis for humility is quite simple. Humility is the only thing that makes sense because of how eternal and unchanging and powerful God is and how fading and precarious and dependent we are. Nothing you do in your life will ever change that. People are sometimes humble until they enjoy some great success. What fools we can be! A little success, achieved by the grace of God, does not change the nature of reality. It does not change who you are and who God is.

      Have you noticed how certain people will change their whole attitude depending on whom they are with? Normally, they are cocky and arrogant, maybe even abusive. But when someone much more important or someone who has influence over their paycheck walks in, suddenly they become kind and humble and self-effacing. To live in accordance with the truth, we all need to practice the presence of God. We need to live all the time just as if we were standing in the presence of someone very important—because we are. Think of some recent prideful thing you did. Would you have done that if you had been aware that you were standing in the very presence of the holy, righteous and almighty God? Would you have treated your friend the way you did? Would you have treated your spouse the way you did? Would you have taken the credit that you took? Would you have been defensive when corrected?

      It is time for us to face up to reality—the reality of God, and to embrace the truth about God with joy. The result will be a deep and unshakable humility.