- Proverbs 25:27 (NAS) It is not good to eat much honey, nor is it glory search out one's own glory.
- Luke 14:11 (NAS) For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.
- Matt. 23:12 (NAS) Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.
- Phil. 2:6-8 (MSG) He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death--and the worst kind of death at that: a crucifixion.
- James 4:10 (NAS) Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.
The story is told of General Robert E. Lee when traveling on train to Richmond, he was seated at the rear of the coach. The car was also filled with officers and soldiers. At one of the stations, an elderly woman, poorly dressed boarded the coach. Having no seat offered her, she trudged her way down the aisle slowly to the back. Immediately, Lee stood up and gave her his seat. One man after the other then stood up to give the general his seat. "No, gentleman," he firmly explained, "if there is none for this lady, there can be none for me!"
General Lee understood that the Biblical principal of humility demands consideration for people in all walks of life, not merely for those of high social status like himself. That gallantry seems somehow lost in this age of "strutting," and this verse seems out of sync with our culture. From the athlete who talks in the 3rd person to the movie stars who preen for the camera and have a remark to make that allows the viewer to know their status, we are inundated with self-exaltation.
Humility is expressed in business leaders as servant-leadership: the ability to view your position of leadership as a platform to serve the needs of those who serve with you and those who report to you. The problem is that for us humans, this humility to like a slippery watermelon seed: once you get your fingers around it, and you think you have it, it just slips away.
It is the servant-leader who exercises authority - which I see as the skill of motivating people to willingly do what you have asked because of your personal influence. Authority is different than power. Power can be bought or sold and given or taken. Sometimes, people are put in positions of power because of nepotism or how much they donate to the organization. Not so with authority. It is earned because of a person's character as expressed in their behavior.
Christ has left us with the example of the behaviors of humility and servant-leadership. The Philippian passage reminds us of the cost. The result of the authority of His impact is still being felt today. It is a great paradox that in the world of Christians that it takes humility to walk the road to glory. Are you on the right path?
Copyright (c) 2006 by P. Griffith Lindell
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