True Greatness

This morning I felt the Lord lay on my heart the importance of continuing to cultivate humility. It is a constant and ever evolving process. One we will need to aggressively pursue for the rest of our lives. CJ Mahaney defines humility this way;

"Humility is honestly evaluating ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness. John Owen wrote, “Two things are needed to humble us. First let us consider God in his greatness, glory, holiness, power, majesty, and authority. Second, let us consider ourselves in our mean, abject, and sinful condition.”

In order to even be able to evaluate myself in light of God's holiness and my sinfulness, I see the crucial importance of studying both of those topics so that can know what I'm evaluating. The opposite of humility is obviously pride, but what does that look like?

"Pride is an attitude of self sufficiency in relation to God and self righteousness in relation to others. My favorite definition and description of pride is from the pen of the Puritan Charles Bridges: Pride lifts up the heart against God. It contends for the supremacy with him. How unseemly moreover is this sin. A creature so utterly dependent, so fearfully guilty, yet proud in heart." - CJ Mahaney

In our Savior's eyes, true greatness is when we serve others for His glory. It's when we put other's needs before our own. True humility was displayed in full glory the day Christ died on the cross. True humility was displayed in full glory the day Christ died on the cross. The passage in Philippians describes what true humility is better than I ever could.

"in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." - Philippians 2:3-8

~O Lord, may this be my heart as well. May I serve others in a way that brings You glory. The best way for me to cultivate humility, is to put others needs above my own. Thank you for the humility You displayed on the cross. Thank You for refusing to choose pride, so that we might be saved. You are truly great!~