THE NEED FOR HUMILITY (1)                                     Mark 9:33-37

“And he sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all.” (v35)

Human is a quality of character, but it’s much more. Notice 2 things (1) Although it’s a christlike virtue, humility is seldom understood or admired. Today many models of leadership consider it strange for the person at the top to show humility too often. Bending the knee to help others, or to admit weakness, is considered making yourself vulnerable to those who might take advantage of you. Too many leaders view themselves as being there to be served, except for short periods when it’s advantageous to be seen serving others, but not too long. We must be careful not to associate too closely with those lower on the ladder or we’ll compromise our position. We fear we might lose the respect of our subordinates, and our superiors, if we accept too much responsibility for a poor decision. Not so, for the follower of Christ. For them humility is not so, for the follower of Christ. For them humility is not a religious concept, it’s a way of life. (2) We appreciate humility in others, but rarely want it for our selves. The price is too high. Humility is not what gets us ahead, and let’s be honest, we like humble people around because they don’t threaten us. They’re safe people with a quaint little virtue that keeps them on the sidelines during our scramble to the top of the hill.

We can afford to be humble after we’re king. Even Christ’s disciples weren’t immune. “They … discussed with one another which of them was the greatest. Sitting down, He…said to them, if anyone wants to be first… he shall be servant of all.” (Mark 9:34-35 NAS) Do you want to become more Christ-like? Practice humility. (TWFT)

PRAYER LINE: Lord, thank You for Your all-seeing nature. You know everything I think and do. Help me to value Your approval and live according to You standards.

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To become like Christ, practice humility.