We don't really like to hear the word humility, because it must mean something negative. It's not used in society at all, because the goal there is to raise yourself higher and higher, you are the thing, you deserve it. But the Bible shifts the focus from "you" to God. Your life will be happy and blessed if you do not lift yourself up, but God.
“After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.” Mark 1:7 ESV
Mark 1:6-8
Before you go any further in your reading, please take out your Bible and read today's passage. Listen to what God wants to teach you from today's passage.
Correct self-assessment
John the Baptist knew exactly who he was and what his task was. Though crowds of people accompanied him and listened to him, converted to his teachings, discipled him, he knew that he was not God, he knew that he was only God's messenger. Jesus spoke of John the Baptist in Matthew 11:11, "that among those born of a woman, there is none greater than John the Baptist.”
Even though John knew who he was, he was still able to humiliate himself, pointing to Jesus in all his ministry, giving glory to God for everything. He knew he was a messenger obedient to the task entrusted to him. And Jesus was proud of John, for he declared to all that no greater man was born than John the Baptist.
It is very important to note that John, in addition to not thinking of himself as more than he was, did not think of himself as less. He had no self-esteem problems, he knew exactly what ministry God had entrusted to him. He knew exactly that he was preparing the way for the promised Messiah, and that he was not only an important person in ministry, but also a relative of the Messiah. Nevertheless, he was not proud of who he was, but pointed throughout his ministry to the awaited Messiah. What humility it took.
The fact that he wore very simple clothes and ate the food he found in the desert did not indicate how poor he was. In fact, he had no material problems, since his father was one of the priests (Luke 1:8). He was simply expressing his protest against the godlessness of the people and their selfish materialistic life.
When he says "I am not worthy to bend down and untie the strap of his shoes", he doesn`t say it because he thinks he is a nobody. In those days, it was the slaves' duty to take off their masters sandals and wash the feet of the masters returning from the road. With this statement, John the Baptist wanted to indicate the difference between himself and the Messiah whom everyone was waiting for.
God humbles the proud, but exalts the humble. God has chosen you for a ministry, He has entrusted you with tasks. You are important to God because you are his child, chosen. Know who you are in the kingdom of God, have a healthy self-awareness, do not think of yourself as greater than you are, but not less. Be humble and God will lift you up.
Reflective questions
- Have a little self-awareness class. Take a pen and paper and start honestly writing down what you think about yourself, e.g. I am a child of God, I am good at football, I am smart, I am impatient, I am envious, I am fat, I am worthless, ... Then examine the list in the light of the Bible to see what God thinks about you. Pull out what the devil has put in your head to give you a false self-image. It is not good to be proud and think more of yourself than you are, but it is not good to think less of yourself. For you will have no strength to serve God, you will not consider yourself fit to fight Satan. That is exactly what the evil one wants you to do, so it is important to see yourself through God's glasses. If you can't do it alone, seek a Christian friend or pastor to help you get your self-evaluation right.
- If you are OK, you can help others. You can "shout" to the world that the Messiah has come, no more waiting. The solution to sin has been born. There is hope, there is a future. There is a God who loves you very much and wants to give you new life.
I wish you much strength and humility in this noble task. Lift Jesus Christ as high as possible in your life and he will lift you up.
Judit
Next week, practice humility.
If you have any experience of this, please share it with us.
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