Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life.  Proverbs 22:4 NIV

“What is that?” said my son to my daughter.  She had created another project and yet again he was not sure what it was.  She went on to explain and then he proceeded to use it for what she intended. 

As I watched this exchange of words, I was reminded that we won’t know how to use something until we understand what it is.  This took me back to words a friend shared with me months ago; she simply said, 

Jill, humble yourself so that…

Her words had my attention… I knew the why of humility, but I was challenged to dig deeper into the what.  I understood the basics - humility means putting others first like Jesus did.  He came to serve and I’m called to do the same.  But it seemed there was more than the worldly definition I’d always lived with.

This desire to better understand humility led me to today’s key verse where I found a new definition of humility – it is the fear of the Lord. 

Friend, let me ask you, “What does it mean to fear the Lord?”  I believe it includes respect and reverence for God.  It means having the right attitude towards Him and the right response to Him. 

Humility is not just making ourselves lower than the people around us, but keeping God at the top.  When you and I humble ourselves, we recognize our sin (Romans 3:23) and understand our limits, but friend we must also embrace who God says we are, believe His words more than our own thoughts and use the gifts He’s given. 

1 Peter 4:10 NIV has encouraged and challenged me all at the same time.  Listen to these words, 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

For years, I thought humility was all about stepping back, working behind the scenes and doing the job nobody wants to do, which it is.  But friend, I’ve been learning humility is also about stepping out, working up front and doing the job God calls us to do. 

My son couldn’t fully use my daughter’s creation until he understood what it was and the same is true for us when it comes to humility.  We will never fully live it out until we completely grasp what it is. 

Friend, today I encourage you to take some time and pray about humility and what that looks like in your life.  As you do think about these things:

1. Does your humility reflect a fear of the Lord? 
2. Do you understand the Biblical meaning of humility? 
3. Do you need to humble yourself in order to live out a command of Christ? 
4. Are you humbling walking in obedience and doing what God has called you to? 
5. In humility, do you live out your identity that comes from Christ?

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You the example of humility You give us in Your Son and through Scripture.  Help us dig into Your Word so we get a better understanding of what humility is and then give us the desire to live with hearts that are humble and fear You.