(a 3.5 minute read) In the previous blog I presented the question; Is this what humility is? When you have ALL that POWER and NOT wield it, rather wield FREEDOM? To be honest with you, I have been trying to get my finger on what humility is!? I am finding it to be very challenging. When I looked it up the definition was; “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.”

Read it one more time; “a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.”

Here’s some words for humble; timid / submissive / meek / shy / self-effacing / quiet

Close your eyes. Envision ‘to lower’. Envision ‘make yourself less’. Draw a picture of ‘meek’. How about a picture in your mind of ‘submissive’.

I am sorry, but does all that sound self-deprecating to you??

Did any of these pictures you just envisioned make you go “Yes brother, that’s how I want to be!!”

Does our society appreciate / prompt / goes oh ya / inspire / says right on brother / prod / encourage anything remotely close to self-deprecating!?  Of course it does not!!

Yet we know beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jesus preached and demonstrated humility. Heck, we define humility by the act Jesus took to come to earth and use it as the epitome of humility.

Was Jesus self-deprecating??

Of course NOT. Then what gives my friend?

Is it possible that we’ve misdefined a word such as ‘humility’??

I’ll give an example of something very relevant to humility. How about the word ‘love’!

Love as a noun; “An intense feeling of deep affection or, a great pleasure in something.”

Love as a verb; “feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to (someone)”

Is this the ‘LOVE’ that we hear Jesus speaks about? Yet, we must agree that these definitions of ‘LOVE’ are acceptable by you and me! Have we misdefined love!?

We can get into a discussion of which type of ‘LOVE’!? Please note that in other languages, for example Greek; Eros is sexual attraction. Philia is friendship. Agape is charitable & unconditional giving.

Note that these three are not derivatives of each other! These are not Type I Type II and Type III. These are distinct words to describe different entities, and are not describing different aspects of the same entity.

Yet, in our language we struggle to define which ‘type of love’ is this or that. Quite a contrast, don’t you agree? Is our language limitation has led to a misinterpretation??

Not sure if I’ve lost you, or if you are starting to see why I am struggling with what we, you and me, have drawn in our mind to picture humility?

How can I strive to become something that I have no clue what it “looks like”!?

If the sentence from the previous blog; “When you have ALL that POWER and NOT wield it, rather wield FREEDOM! is representative of humility”, then it is the furthest away from self-deprecating.

You know what, I believe this sentence does represent what Jesus did and exhibit….. HUMILITY!

If what we are hoped to be is to act in HUMILITY, and we as a society have misdefined this word…………. maybe this is a good start for me and you……………. Learn what is HUMILITY!

First, we need to examine it…………….. Picture it……………. Then strive to become it

My God and my Lord You are the epitome of HUMILITY. I am starting to see that I do not know what that is! All I can bring to my mind is a picture of someone down on their knees! Someone clasping hands and begging! Someone crying! Someone allowing others to walk all over them. Someone desolate. I know that none of these describe You and Your actions. None. Help my struggle in understanding what HUMILITY is my Creator. I am wide open to start and see You …………….. and see Your HUMILITY. Teach me. i love You and i thank You. Amen.

Lord I believe, help me with my unbelief. (one of my favorite verses)