Pop quiz! Who is it that no one wants to be around? A proud know-it-all. Who is it that everyone wants to be around? A humble and kind person.
If you want to build great relationships in life, humility is the key. Why? Because it’s God’s way.
The Bible said, “These are the ways of the world: wanting to please our sinful selves, wanting the sinful things we see, and being too proud of what we have. None of these come from the Father, but all of them come from the world,” in 1 John 2:16.
If you want to tear apart your relationships, start thinking only about yourself. But if you’re going to build strong, nurturing relationships, start thinking about others.
Philippians 2:3 said, “When you do things, do not let selfishness or pride be your guide. Instead, be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves.”
It’s often true that those who think they are humble aren’t. Why? Because a humble person doesn’t even know they are humble because they aren’t even thinking about themselves.
If you want to add more humility to your life, start spending time with humble and kind people. The rule is you become like the people you hang out with. If you hang out with cranky people, you will be cranky. But hanging out with humble and kind people will make you humbler and kinder.
You should “Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be arrogant, but be friendly to humble people. Don’t think that you are smarter than you really are,” in Romans 12:16.
Suppose you’re looking for humble people to be around and learn from. Look for people who are growing closer to Jesus. He’s the most outstanding teacher of all.
According to Philippians 2:5-8, “You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.”
If you want to bring more humility into your relationships, Jesus is the master teacher. And when you take steps to grow close to him, you can’t help but learn it.
Do you need to repent of pride? If so, Jesus is ready and willing to forgive you. All you need to do is pray and ask him. It’s the first step in humbling yourself.
Questions to consider:
How is your pride affecting your relationships?
What would it look like if you started thinking of others first?
What steps can you take to grow closer to Jesus to learn humility?
Zachary Elliott is the lead pastor of Fusion Christian Church in Temecula. For more information, visit http://www.fusionchristianchurch.com, http://www.encouragementtoday.tv or find them on Instagram.