Spiritual Maturity Step 7: Be Humble • DDCommunity

Blessed are the humble, for they will inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5 CSB).

True Humility: Living Under God’s Authority

The humble will inherit the earth. But what does it really mean to be humble before God?

Humility is a virtue that is difficult to comprehend. When we consider ourselves humble, we are often proud that we are so humble! But to truly grasp humility, we must understand that humility is nothing about us—whether we think more or less of ourselves. To be humble, I must realize that all my life is under God’s authority. Humility only comes from living under God’s authority in dependence. I must die to myself and live with an undivided heart. Every step I take and every breath I take should be submitted to His authority.

As I recognize God as the ultimate authority, the One who created all, set the world in motion, sustains all, including the stars in the heavens, knows all, knows how things should operate, and knows the plans He has for me, then I give God glory. I acknowledge His glory and supremacy. Living joyfully under the authority of such greatness certainly makes Him look wonderful and desirous.

As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.
2 Cor. 6:1–10 NLT

I am humble when I submit to God’s authority.

I am humble when I submit to God’s authority, acknowledge God’s work in my life, and give Him all glory for what He does in and through my life. When I hold everything tightly, it’s a struggle to maintain control. But when I serve with open hands, I accept that all will be for God’s glory. Therefore, I need no glory for myself.

Don’t boast about yourself before the king, and don’t stand in the place of the great; for it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here!” than to demote you in plain view of a noble (Prov. 25:6–7 CSB). A rich person is wise in his own eyes, but a poor one who has discernment sees through him (Prov. 28:11 CSB).

You will notice that consideration of the poor is included in this Be Humble step. Why? Well, how do you approach the poor? If we are willing to admit it, I would guess that we proudly think, “I am so glad I’m not poor. Let me help these poor, pitiful people.”

In actuality, we are all poor pitiful people without God’s authority directing our lives! When I exert my own way over God’s way, I am a poor, pitiful person but proud to have control of my own life. I must humbly realize my need—I need God. Without Him, I have nothing, and I am nothing—I am poor and pitiful.

Consider the poor.

But in our consideration of the poor, Proverbs also admonishes us to be cautious of our treatment of the poor. My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor or entered into an agreement with a stranger, you have been snared by the words of your mouth trapped by the words from your mouth. Do this, then, my son, and free yourself, for you have put yourself in your neighbor’s power: Go, humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor. Don’t give sleep to your eyes or slumber to your eyelids. Escape like a gazelle from a hunter, like a bird from a hunter’s trap (Prov. 6:1–5 CSB). A relevant connection with God’s Spirit must direct all our steps.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. (James 3:13–16 NASB)

Our culture does not encourage us to be humble.

Opposites of humility include arrogance, jealousy, selfish ambition, and covetousness. They all spring from a desire to have what the world offers. But they keep us from obtaining all that God has to offer.

You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and wage war. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and don’t receive because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulterous people! Don’t you know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? So whoever wants to be the friend of the world becomes the enemy of God. (James 4:2–4 CSB)

True humility is living under God’s authority. When we submit to Him, live dependently, and give Him the glory in all things, we reflect His greatness. Are you holding tightly to control, or are you serving with open hands? Let’s walk together in humility, acknowledging our need for Him every step of the way.