Humbling ourselves to other believers

By Chuck Cordovano -- Are you humble?  Aren't you proud or haughty (blatantly and disdainfully proud), arrogant or assertive?  When we are young and invincible most of us had an overabundance of pride. We felt indestructible, our lives were ahead of us and we believed we could do anything. We wanted more, we needed more. But, we grew older. Life happens to us. The world gets a hold of us.  

Take a look at Mac Davis in 1975 (right).  Remember Mac in North Dallas 40 - the football movie with Nick Nolte? Remember when Mac Davis recorded the hit song, "It's Hard To Be Humble" with the line, "Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way!"

Now, take a look at Mac Davis today. (left) He's not quite as pretty as he was in the 1970’s.  I suspect he is a little more humble, a little less prideful, than he once was.  I hope we all are.

Christianity has an oral tradition.

I watch TV a lot. Windy will tell you if you ask her.  I believe I was the first to discover Duck Dynasty (and Swamp People and Ice Road Truckers).  But I also watch ETV and one of their shows, Frontline, produced a series called, “From Jesus to Christ, the First Christians,” and it was about the oral tradition of Christianity.

 

L. Michael White, Professor of Classics and Director of the Religious Studies Program University of Texas at Austin says, “We have to remember that Jesus died around 30. For 40 years, there's no written gospel of his life, until after the revolt. During that time, we have very little in the way of written records within Christianity. Our first writer in the New Testament is Paul, and his first letter is dated around 50 to 52, still a good 20 years after Jesus, himself. But it appears that in between the death of Jesus and the writing of the first gospel, Mark, that they clearly are telling stories. They're passing on the tradition of what happened to Jesus, what he stood for and what he did, orally, by telling it and retelling it....”

This got me thinking, 'Don’t we have an obligation to continue this oral tradition?' We hear sermons in Church on Sunday, we hear lessons in Sunday School, we pray with our families, but do we share enough about ourselves with one another? Aren’t we just a little too prideful to ask for help or share our weaknesses?

In Matthew 18: 2-4, we read: "2 Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them. 3 Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven. 4 So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven."

And, in Luke 14: 7-14 we read, "7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”

In Luke 18: 9-14, we read, "9 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: 10 “Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer[a]: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! 12 I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ 14 I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

What happens when we humble ourselves?  Jesus says we will be exalted! Stephen Newell, pastor of Overmountain Deaf Church in Virginia, writes: “Scripture tells us that God actively opposes the proud, while actively assisting the humble. “The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.” (Psalm 147:6) “He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.” (Proverbs 3:34) “For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” (Psalm 149:4) Sometimes God allows things to happen in our lives to force us to stop getting a big head. Our bubble needs bursting! Sometimes all we need to end a time of trial, struggle and suffering is to stop, step back, take a deep breath, and say, “Ok, Lord. I get it. Help me to meditate on my sinful attitudes and actions, to beg your forgiveness, and trust that Jesus has secured your forgiveness forever on the cross.”

That has happened to me in my life and I bet it has happened to you in yours.

A few weeks ago, I was struggling with a number of issues.  Taylor was not happy with her Sunday School class here at LBC. Windy and I were arguing about what was best for her and how we should best promote faith in her life.  Of course, I was convinced my way was the right way!  My niece, Margaret, got a DUI and it was her second alcohol related accident in three months.  As an alcoholic I, again, knew what was best for her and her family and was frustrated they would not listen to me.  Lastly, I periodically worry about my business and money and taking care of my family even though Windy tells me to simply,“Work hard and be faithful.”

I was feeling the pressure of life and keeping up, and being the smartest person in the room and I needed someone to pray for me.  But, I am prideful.  Everyone has their own problems; they don’t want to hear mine. They have more important things to pray about.  Finally, I decided to humble myself and ask for prayer from two men in our class.  I sent a text to Jay Tompkins and Jimmy Woods and asked them to pray specifically for those things bothering me.

That afternoon, not two hours later, I went to the mail box and had received a check for $363. It was not enough to pay the mortgage, but enough to know God heard my prayers, he heard Jimmy’s prayer, and he heard Jay’s prayer.

Are all my problems solved?  Of course not!  But, I believe when I humble myself to ask for help or listen to, and accept, another point of view my life is better.  I believe when we share with others of faith, when we continue the oral tradition of our faith, through Jesus Christ, God exalts us.

Have any of you humbled yourself and been exalted by God?