“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death- even death on a cross!”- Philippians 2:8
In the final section of Chapter 3 (The End of Me), Kyle Idleman focuses our attention on four words from the end of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector: “those who humble themselves” (Luke 18:14). While we think being humbled is a passive activity, Jesus speaks of a humbling that is active. Active humbling involves taking ownership of our own humility. It does not mean being humbled by someone or something.
Nik Wallenda walked across Niagara Falls on a high wire in 2012 and became the first man to walk across the Grand Canyon in 2013. Nik is a strong Christian, and has a unique way of actively handling pride- spending hours cleaning up garbage left behind by his fans. Nik says:
“Three hours of cleaning up debris is good for my soul. Humility does not come naturally for me. So if I have to force myself into situations that are humbling, so be it. . . . I do it . . . because it’s a way to keep from tripping. As a follower of Jesus, I see Him washing the feet of others. I do it because if I don’t serve others, I’ll be serving nothing but my ego.”
Next, Kyle offers four ideas for taking ownership of our own humility.
Today’s question: To this point, have you considered humbling passive or active? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Where no one has gone before”
