We’re beginning our brand new series, God on Film. This week we are looking at “Ant Man” that comes out this Friday. Are you going to see it? From what I have read so far, the reviews have been good with most suggesting it’s a must see. The premise of the movie is: Thief Scott Lang must aid his mentor Dr. Hank Pym in safeguarding the mystery of the Ant-Man technology – which allows its user to decrease in size but increase in strength – from various new threats, and plot a heist that will save the Earth.
“Decrease in size to increase in strength” – that sounds a lot like what Jesus taught.
If you want to be great be humble.
The truth of the matter for most of us is we don’t want to decrease unless it’s our weight. We want to increase in power, in strength, in popularity, in followers on Instagram. But to increase you must be humble.
Jesus said – His total counter-cultural teaching is – the only way to true greatness is through humility. Some people think that humility is denying your desires for greatness. But Jesus didn’t talk that way. Jesus says, I know you desire greatness. I understand that. I want to teach you to translate your desire for greatness into actions of humility and watch what that does for your life and for the world how it changes everyone.
Look at what Jesus says about humility “Whoever humbles himself…is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:4 Jesus taught a lot about humility. In the next post we’ll look at four specific He talked about this decision in our lives to humble ourselves.
First let’s discuss what humility is and what it isn’t.
Humility may be the most misunderstood character quality that God ever invented. So before we begin looking at what it is, let me explain to you what humility is not.
- Humility is not shyness.
- Humility not being timid or bashful.
- Humility is not being a weak or spineless wimp.
- Humility is not a lack of confidence.
- Humility is not insecurity.
- Humility is definitely not having a low opinion of yourself. Jesus was very humble and yet He did not have a low opinion of Himself.
- Humility is not being a passive doormat.
- Humility is not having poor self-esteem.
- Humility is not putting yourself down all the time saying, “I’m no good. I’m nothing. I’m worthless. I’m junk.” Jesus never put Himself down, and yet He was the most humble person whoever lived. He never degraded Himself.
Here’s a great definition: “HUMILITY: Not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of others instead and acting in their best interest, instead of your own.”
Humility takes enormous amounts of courage. Humility takes self-confidence. It takes a high self-esteem. It takes a personal security. In fact, insecure people cannot be humble. They have a very hard time being humble. Insecurity produces the exact opposite in our lives. It produces pride. Whenever you find somebody who is arrogant, prideful, boastful, egotistical or self-concerned, you can know that they are masking deep insecurity.
Pride is always a cover-up for insecurity. When you see the person who acts like he runs the world, he has it all together, he knows enough, inside he or she is masking deep insecurity. Insecurity causes us to brag. Insecurity causes us to boast. Insecurity causes us to exaggerate. It causes us to worry about what other people think of us. It is insecurity that causes us to be hypercritical and judgmental of other people. So rather than pride being a matter of confidence, humility – the exact opposite – is a matter of confidence. Jesus was able to be humble because He knew exactly who He was.
Remember how Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. That’s the ultimate act of humility. He was only able to do that because He was very secure in His position. He knew who He was, whose He was and what He was here on earth to do. So He was able to take a humble role and a humble position.
God loves humility. In fact the Bible says this in Isaiah 66:2: “The people I treasure most are the humble. They depend on Me.”
Humility leads to greatness, in the eyes of God and the eyes of others.
What is humility? It’s not thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of others instead of yourself and acting in their best interest instead of your own. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s not thinking about yourself at all. Humility means to be other person-centered. It means to think about others and forget yourself. Humility is self-forgetfulness. You’re so concerned about other people you’re not even thinking about yourself at all.
Humility means to become smaller in your eyes because you see others bigger.
In the next post we’ll look at four life situations where Jesus teaches us to choose humility.
Darrell
Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant-Man
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/Ant-Man-Reactions-Here-What-Critics-Saying-72250.html
50 Days of Love, Love is Humble, Rick Warren November 2001
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