Humility

Just over a month ago, I had the joy of watching the Wartburg Wrestling team at Regionals qualify nine wrestlers out of a possible ten to go to Nationals (where, two weeks later, they won their 17th NCAA Div III National Championship!). But at one weight, the favored Wartburg wrestler was upset in the Finals. When the ending whistle blew, the opponent jumped to his feet and yelled, “I’m the man! I’m number one!”

Technically, this wrestler spoke the truth: He was No. 1 at Regionals. But his self-congratulatory cheer ignored the fact he had already lost to the Wartburg wrestler twice already in the season (and would finish behind him at Nationals). In the excitement of the moment, this wrestler got so focused on himself that he lost any semblance of humility.

Less, Not Low

For the months of April and May, we’re starting another “One Thought” blog series, this time on the nine verses of Philippians 2:3-11. This week, we begin our series looking at verse 3, which introduces us to the theme of humility.

I feel like some people in our culture view “humility” as “thinking lowly of yourself.” But that is a bad definition. Humility isn’t thinking low of yourself; it is simply thinking less of yourself.

And that is exactly what we see in verse 3:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” (Philippians 2:3, ESV)

To follow Jesus means you don’t yell “I’m number one!” It means figuring out how to help others feel like they are No. 1. It isn’t that you don’t matter. It’s that you trust God to provide for you while He uses you to provide for the needs of others.

So rather than think of what you can get for yourself this week, perhaps you can ask God to help you think of what you can provide for someone else. Who needs your time, encouragement, labor, or financial assistance? What can you do to think less of yourself and a bit more of others? This one thought might just lead to a great moment this week!