Living in the Image of God M03S10
Humility is the quality of expecting others to be greater or better than you in one or more considerations, based on understanding that every person is potentially God’s representative in human interactions with you. Humility manifests as an invitation with promise—promise of care and diligence regarding the needs of others; promise of appreciation for others and any goods or service they provide; and promise of obedience to the authority of others—conveyed to them more by attitude than spoken or written words.
We discuss three instances of Christ teaching regarding humility: to understand the meaning and importance of humility in human interactions. First, we discuss Christ teaching among dinner guests, where he explained a defining principle of humility: humble yourself that you may be exalted and honored by others; or the opposite, exalt yourself and you likely will be humbled and humiliated by others. Through his interactions with the dinner guests, Christ defines humility as the quality of expecting others to be greater or better than you in one or more considerations.
Second, we discuss the humility of a child based on Christ teaching. We see that a child personifies humility according to the defining principle, because of the intrinsic characteristic of childhood to expect others to be greater or better. Therefore, Christ introduces the humility of childhood as defining a standard that God expects of every person.
Third, we discuss an example based on the humility of David to understand that humility entails respect and submission to lawful authority. He was anointed to be king but recognized the authority of the people to select him as their king. Therefore, he waited patiently in humility for seven years after the death of his predecessor, until the people of Israel made him king.
Finally, we discuss Christ teaching on humility in the Sermon on the Mount, where he described the promise of blessing for humility toward God and humility in human interactions.
Humble To Be Exalted
Christ used the occasion of interacting with other dinner guests in the house of a Pharisee to teach a defining principle of humility. He was in the house among other guests for a dinner and noticed that the others had assigned themselves to places of honor at the table. He told them a parable to explain the principle of humility.
The essence of his message is that one should expect every event could include other persons greater or better in one or more considerations: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited” [Luke 14:8]. He explained that if you exalt yourself by choosing a position of honor, you could be humbled and humiliated later [Luke 14:9]: “If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place.” He continued by explaining the better alternative behavior, that if you humble yourself, you could be exalted and honored by others later [Luke 14:10]: “But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests.”
Christ teaching at the dinner gathering introduces a defining principle of humility: that one should expect other persons to be greater or better in one or more considerations. Apostle Paul summarizes the principle in his letter to Philippians [Philippians 2:3]: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
Humility of A Child
Again, Christ gave a teaching on humility using the humility of a child. To respond to his disciples’ enquiry regarding who is the greatest in heaven, he introduced a child to the disciples as the personification of humility [Matthew 18:1–3]: “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?’ He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: ‘Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.’”
He presented a child as the personification of humility that every person should emulate. A child personifies humility because of the intrinsic characteristic of childhood to expect others to be greater or better. Every person should seek the humility of a child: that is, value others as a child would, by expecting others to be greater or better than you in one or more considerations: “Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” [Matthew 18:4].
Humility of David
David was confirmed king of Israel approximately seven years after the death of Saul, his predecessor. Although he was generally expected to succeed Saul as king (e.g., see statements of Abigail, wife of Nabal, during an interaction with David [1 Samuel 25: 30]), the transition was delayed because of several events that occurred after Saul died, including a challenge for the throne from the House of Saul. However, David’s actions showed he recognized and respected the authority of the people to select and make their king.
As we discuss in a previous study under Call to Rulership—Saul Anointed King, the account of making Saul first king of Israel illustrates a three-step process for making a king, viz., the call, election, and inauguration. The call was represented by the anointing. Through the anointing, God selects a person to be king but keeps the selection confidential. Saul’s anointing was known only by Saul and Prophet Samuel. In the case of David, only Samuel and David’s parents and brothers knew about the anointing. Because the anointing is confidential, the election represents a real decision of the people. Although David was too young to participate in Saul’s election, he most likely learned about the process later, maybe through Prophet Samuel. Therefore, he was well aware that the authority to make him king belonged to the people and would be exercised by the people. Therefore, he waited for the people—for seven years after Saul died.
In humility, David recognized the authority of the people and waited for the people to exercise the authority. He waited patiently in humility for seven years after the death of Saul, until the people of Israel made him king.
Humility from the Sermon on the Mount
In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ discussed humility toward God and humility in human interactions. He described humility toward God as the foundation for accessing resources that God has provided to empower every person to perform their responsibilities of Living in the Image of God. The first three Beatitudes describe the basis for humility toward God: that is, understanding that God creates and empowers every person to represent him in human interactions with others; and recognizing that a person can perform the responsibilities, only if he or she relies on God’s guidance and direction. To serve God as his representative among others, seek him in commitment to his purpose and recognition of total dependence on his guidance and direction to accomplish the purpose. Thus, humility activates connections to receive and follow God’s guidance and direction to fulfill his purpose.
The third Beatitude also describes God’s promise of blessing for humility in human interactions. There are two aspects of the basis for humility toward others. First, recognize every person as potentially God’s representative in human interactions with you. That is, God’s ambassador regarding one or more matters important to you. Second, expect others to be greater or better than you in one or more considerations.
Manifestation of Humility
Humility manifests as an invitation with promise—a promise to be polite, attentive, responsive, peaceful, and truthful in interactions with others; promise of care and diligence regarding the needs of others; promise of appreciation for others and any goods or service they provide; and promise of obedience to the authority of others.
Humility manifests through interactions with others and conveys Godliness to them. Thus, humility inspires an expectation of positive impact that motivates others to thank God for you: “…let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” [Mathew 5:16]. Humility in human interactions conveys a promise of care and diligence, promise of appreciation, and promise of obedience.
Promise of Care and Diligence: Your human interactions convey a promise that you can be relied upon to recognize the needs of others, care about the needy, seek diligently to alleviate the need, and persevere in your effort to provide goods or service to address the need.
Promise of Appreciation: Your human interactions convey a promise that you can be relied upon to appreciate goods and service provided by others, appreciate others for providing goods and service to benefit another, and appreciate God for empowering the others to provide the goods and service. Furthermore, a promise that you can be relied upon to do your part when needed to provide goods or service to benefit others.
Promise of Obedience: Your human interactions convey a promise that you can be relied upon to respect and submit to the authority of others. That is, a promise to contribute as you can to the decision process, but obey the decisions of the authority irrespective of your contribution.
Summary of What We Learned
Humility is the quality of expecting others to be greater or better than you in one or more considerations, based on understanding that every person is potentially God’s representative in human interactions with you.
Humility manifests as an invitation with promise—promise of care and diligence regarding the needs of others; promise of appreciation for others and any goods or service they provide; and promise of obedience to the authority of others—conveyed to them more by attitude than spoken or written words.