Calling Humility

Calling Humility

 

As a young man, I was full of faith.

 I believed God’s anointing that was on my life would

supernaturally empower me to be a minister to the nations.

I wouldn’t say I was arrogant, but I was focused on myself.

When I would talk to others, the word “I”

worked its way into almost every sentence.

I am sure you know what I am talking about,

as all of us have met people who only

have one subject and that is their self.

Growing up I had never been more

than a days drive from home; and

growing up in a home that did not have a

car those times away from home were rare.

When I was 26 years old, I had the opportunity

to go on a mission trip to Nigeria, Africa.

There was nothing about this trip

that turned out the way it was planned.

I ended up in a room with bars on the window

and multiple locks on the door and a guard

with a machete guarding the place where I stayed.

The Pastors who were to meet me there

and had all the arrangements, never made it.

 I was alone on the other side of the earth.

I could not go out and walk the street for fear.

The broken glass on the tops of the stone and mortared fences,

and the corruption of the police kept me in isolation.

For days I thought, ‘I will never see my family again.’

 

When I got home,

I had a vision of a small thimble

and I was in it!

Then, God put His finger in the thimble.

That experience had a powerful humbling effect on my life.

 

There are three keys to living a life worthy of our calling:

The first is to be humble and gentle.

Humility is having a modest mindset about yourself.

Don’t over expose yourself;

think and talk about yourself in moderation.

Consider others better than yourself

by honoring and showing concern for them.

Don’t dominate the conversations you have with others.

Remember to add gentleness;

it reveals unselfishness.

Gentleness is also called meekness;

we should possess a mild, yet confident attitude.

Remember Moses was considered to be a meek man

but he was a strong leader and had

the ability to act firmly when needed.

 

Scripture Reading

Ephesians 4:1-2 NIV

4:1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then,

I urge you to live

a life worthy of the calling

you have received.

2 Be completely humble and gentle;

Psalm 37:11 NIV

11 But the meek will inherit the land

and enjoy great peace.

Matthew 5:5 NIV

5 Blessed are the meek ,

for they will inherit the earth.

Numbers 12:3 NIV

3(Now Moses was a very humble man,

more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV

 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,

but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests,

but also to the interests of others.

New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance

with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary

Humility from Ephesians 4:2

NT:5012 tapeinophrosune (tap-i-nof-ros-oo'-nay); from a compound of NT:5011

and the base of NT:5424; humiliation of mind, i.e. modesty:

KJV - humbleness of mind, humility (of mind, loneliness (of mind).

Gentle from Ephesians 4:2

NT:4240 prautes (prah-oo'-tace); from NT:4239; mildness, i.e. (by implication) humility:

KJV - meekness.