“Happy are those who are humble; they will receive what God has promised! Matthew 5:5 (TEV) *MEMORY VERSE
Today we will look at humility. The Greek word is “prautes” It can be translated as “meekness” or “humility” infact the The King James does translate this word “meek.” We don’t use the word meek that often today and if we do its not positive. Weakness rhymes with weakness. So we think that’s what it means. If you call a man meek, he’d be insulted. You don’t put it on your resume. What do you think of when you think of meek? Some spineless jellyfish with no conviction. We say “Meek as a mouse”. A lady said to her husband, “Are you a man or a mouse? Squeak up!” So humility or humble is a better word
There are only two men in the Bible called humble: Jesus and Moses. Neither of them were pushovers.
Matthew 11:29 (Jesus) “Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am Humble and humble in spirit; and you will find rest.”
Numbers 12:3 “Moses was a humble man,”
- WHAT IS HUMILITY?
So Humility is a word we are a little more familiar with than meekness Humility is not “weakness” or lack of power
What is “Humility?” The Greek language in which the N.T. was originally written, was a precise & expressive language. When the Greeks developed a word, they not only gave it a careful definition, but they almost always illustrated it.
Their definition of Humility is “power under control,” & they illustrated it with the picture of a horse that had been tamed. Humility to them was a powerful animal with its power completely under control.
*Water that’s under control would be water rushing through a dam turning turbines, generating electricity to light a city. Water out of control would be a flood destroying everything in its path.
A disease out of control can devastate the body & kill its victim. But a disease under control can produce vaccines & save thousands of lives.
So when you think about Humility, think about power under control, anger under control, our emotions under God’s control.
- MY OPTIONS:
- Arrogance: Pushing using all my power to get what I want, when I want it.
- Humility: Being under God’s control allowing him to fulfill his promises.
In the next post, we are going to look at Moses and Jesus as examples of what to do in different circumstances
Darrell
Upwards Church 