On Humility....

Martin Luther said,

"Humility is the decision to let God be God.”

In this statement, Luther was touching on the very nature of human existence.  Humility is fragile, tenuous, constantly struggling against the pridefulness that comes the moment we recognize our own insignificance.  Pride and humility walk hand in hand, opposite yet inextricably interwoven, separate but together.

In his famous treatise, “The Screwtape Letters,” C.S. Lewis writes of humility as self-forgetfulness.  Rest in that powerful message for a moment.  What does that mean?

The setting of his story is the demon, Screwtape, writing instructive advice to his nephew, Wormwood, on how to turn the believer away from God.  While there are many ways that the devil can infiltrate our heart and mind, Screwtape points out that the weakest point in human nature is humility.  In short, the moment a person becomes aware of how humble they are, they have lost the very humility they strive for, because pride in our own humbleness revokes it.  That is the greatest chink in the armor of God with which we go forth to do battle with Satan, and it is the weak point that Screwtape advises Wormwood to attack.  Pridefulness is the foundation on which all other sins reside.

Although it seems complex, the message, both from Luther and Lewis, is actually quite simple.  Humility doesn’t undervalue our gifts or talents.  It is not rooted in a sense of inadequacy.  On the contrary, we are instructed to use our gifts and talents to glorify God, who bestowed them upon us.  Riches, success, material goods, all are gifts from God to be appreciated.  But we must also recognize that they are not of our own doing, but of God’s graciousness.  We are nothing without God.

Paul addressed this very idea in 1 Timothy 6:17-19:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Indeed, humility is rooted in purely glorifying God in everything we do.  The moment we acknowledge our own humility, basking in the glow of our self-righteous virtue, we have already become arrogant, as if, in fact, we are equal to God himself, in control and unmindful of our weakness.  How, then, do we avoid this insidious trap of pridefulness, of self-congratulation?  How do we, in Luther’s words, let God be God instead of trying to do the job for him?

In Philippians 2:3-4 we read,

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

True humility is a difficult task, almost impossible, because, if you read carefully, you realize we are not told to put others first and ourselves last.  We aren’t on the list at all.  That is the struggle, the hardest thing of all; to forget ourselves and think of others, first, last and only, which can be accomplished solely when we are living for the glory of God.  When we live for ourselves, even if we give lip service to putting others first, creeping pride will overtake us.  We cannot have it both ways.  The choice is ours, every day.