Humility is a funny thing. We know we should have it, but we can never admit that we’ve acquired it because, well, that wouldn’t be very humble. In fact, growing in humility is often evidenced by coming to a realization that you’re not as humble as you think you are.
Nevertheless, humility is high on the list of character qualities that God expects of his people. After all, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). But rather than shouting, “Hey, be humble!” from a distance, God’s Word gives us plenty of examples of what humility looks like, several of which can be found in today’s passage.
According to Luke, here’s a few things humility looks like:
- Going out of the way to express genuine gratitude (17:11-19)
- Quiet confidence in a kingdom that is always present but not always observable (17:20-21)
- Desperate persistence in prayer (18:1-8)
- A vivid awareness of your own need for mercy (18:9-14)
- Child-like dependence (18:15-17)
- Self-denying generosity (18:18-30)
But above all else, humility is best exemplified in the one who spoke many of the words in today’s passage. The one who counted others more significant than himself. The one who looked not only to his own interests, but the interests of others. The one who became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. The one who calls you to take up your cross and follow him down the self-emptying path of humility.
VC Devotionals 