May 09, 2025 Words of Grace Blog – Humility Is Not an Option – May 9, 2025
According to Jesus and the apostles he trained to give us his word, humility is not an option.
The Lord is not like other leaders standing over us with twisted faces and clinched fists shouting, “failure is not an option,” only substituting failure with humility. Rather, Jesus is stating the fact that only the humble person will receive him as Lord and the grace of God that comes with him.
Jesus knew the Proverbs, and from them he taught his followers that “God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble” (Proverbs 3:34, James 4:6).
We can take from this proverb that humility is not an option.
Humility is not an option because it is to the humble person that God gives the grace of salvation, and only the humble person will receive this grace. Pride in the heart says to God, “I can do it, I will do it, and I don’t need you to do it.” The “it” being, run my life and make my own way. The person with the proud heart will not open himself to God, and to him God will not make himself known.
Humility is the way other than pride. The humble person comes to the end of himself and says to God, “I can’t do it, without you it won’t get done, I need you more than anything or anyone.” This humble person receives salvation, blessing, honor, and wisdom from the Lord (Proverbs 11:2, 16:18-20, 18:12, 29:23).
Humility was not an option for Jesus, either. In the eternal past, God in three Persons, the Blessed Trinity, knew and planned the way for sinful humans to be reconciled to himself. The plan long ago was for God the Son to humble himself by becoming a man and submitting to a death that would satisfy the just judgement on our sin and be our substitute for bearing the wrath for our sin. There was no other way. Humility was not an option.
So, when Jesus stands before us and says we must humble ourselves to receive mercy and enter his kingdom (Luke 18:9-17), his hands are open for us to see the nail scars, and his face is bright with the longing of love and light of glory. He is calling us to himself and to be like him.
Where do we get the humility that Proverbs says is not an option? I would suggest we spend little time focusing on humility and a lot of time looking to Jesus. Look to Jesus and see him in all his holiness, humility, glory, and sacrifice. Then look at ourselves in all our unholiness and foolish pride. Finally, look back to Jesus to receive his grace and forgiveness, and to enter union with his death and resurrected life. Look nowhere else. Let’s fix our eyes on Jesus fully and forever.
I am praying for us this weekend that the Holy Spirit will give us a vision of Christ that will humble and thrill our hearts, causing them to burn within us.
See you Sunday.
-Scott