Humility

Nathan Brown

Sometime last year, I presented a paper to the weekly colloquium at Avondale College. After sharing some thoughts on the nature of faith in today's world, discussion and questions followed with the group of academic staff and students. The question that most caught my attention and continued in my thinking beyond that afternoon was "What should most characterise the church in its mission and ministry in today's society?"

My one-word answer was "Humility." But it's an answer prone to misunderstanding. It seems there are too many negatives that come with the concept of humility.

Whenever we start talking about humility in this way, someone will ask whether we might not be risking our identity by practising humility-that if we are not boldly defending who we are and what we stand for, we risk losing who we are called to be. But this is less of a concern if humility is our identity-the thing that significantly sets the faithful followers of God apart.

Humility is not about standing up for nothing, believing nothing and being walked over ideologically. Rather, humility at its best is built solidly on the foundation of our belief, and our trust in the goodness of the God we say we believe in. "Although truth is not always humility, humility is always truth: the blunt acknowledgment that I owe my life, being and salvation to Another. This fundamental act lies at the core of our response to grace" (Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel).

Of course, the model and motivation for this is Jesus Himself. Throughout John's apostolic writing-his gospel and letters-the love of God is a constant theme but it is interesting to note what John regarded as the crescendo of this refrain. He introduces the story he tells in John 13 with these words: "[Jesus] now showed the disciples the full extent of his love" (verse 1, NLT). John then proceeds to describe Jesus, the eternal Son of God, washing the feet of His dusty and doubting disciples, one by one. According to John, this was the greatest, most profound expression of the love of God-an act of incredible humility.

It is little wonder Paul uses this same motif when urging that "your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had" (Philippians 2:5, NLT) and goes on to describe the steps Jesus took in humbling Himself, despite being equal with God: "in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross" (Philippians 2:8, NLT).

In response to this goodness and overwhelming humility, we expend ourselves-personally and corporately-in serving and seeking the best for those with whom we share our lives and our world. It is little wonder the prophet Micah linked the quest for justice and mercy with the imperative to "walk humbly with your God" (Micah 6:8, NLT).

The temptation of God's followers is to seek to reside with God on the mountaintops of spiritual experiences. This was the crux of Peter's ill-informed suggestion on the Mount of Transfiguration that they should set up shelters in that time and place (see Matthew 17:4). But this is not God's way. Practical humility is about coming down from the mountain to walk amid and with people who are lost, threatened or suffering, risking ourselves for their healing and saving.

That's why the beatitude-"Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth" (Matthew 5:5, NIV)-is such a life-changing reality. This promise is the foundation for our humble living and active service in our tragic world.

To be truly meek risks being ripped-off, overridden and ignored, not because meekness is weakness but because history has been dominated by the presupposition that might is right. Accordingly, this beatitude looks to the future-an inheritance. It seems Jesus was quoting from Psalm 37 in the list of Beatitudes. His source expands on the promise that forms the second half of His statement-"the meek will inherit the land and enjoy great peace" (Psalm 37:11, NIV).

It's a remarkable promise that forms part of Jesus' invitation to join Him in living today as part of His revolution of humility. By coming down the mountain to a world of broken and hurting people, we have the opportunity to show the world the full extent of His love. This call must change us-and it must change our church.

This has been an editorial from Record, May 23, 2009

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