“Humility is nothing but the disappearance of self in the vision that God is all.”
Andrew Murray
Early in our marriage, I noticed how I subtly “competed” with my husband. Because of my woundedness and low self-esteem, I wanted to be better than John to feel better about myself. Yet, puffing up my pride through competition was a steep price to pay in my relationship with my husband. Is our stubborn pride worth the high cost of alienation and loneliness in a relationship?
Pride is the thief of connection. When you encounter a block, a rift, or an argument in a relationship, notice pride’s role in that broken interaction. Pride has caused me to judge and compete with others in my mind, putting up a wall that hinders closeness. Andrew Murray writes, “Pride must die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.” It takes humility to repair the ruptures in relationships so they might flourish again.
Because I want to grow in humility, I’m asking the Holy Spirit to point out when I’m prideful in my words, actions, attitudes, and the displeasing thoughts and judgments only God and I know are housed in my mind. I trust He will also instruct me in specific ways to choose humility. I want to know what steps to take to become more humble, and I desire to repair the relational ruptures caused by my pride with acts of humility. Becoming more like Christ by being humble is not an overnight venture; instead, it’s built by numerous acts of humility till I’m changed from the inside out.
Verses three and four in Philippians chapter two provide practical guidance in humility. “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” These verses instruct us to prefer others over ourselves by eliminating our pride and self-centeredness.
Humility is our friend, even though it may be uncomfortable. Connection is a wonderful by-product of humility. The closest relationships are formed with humility as the foundation and woven throughout the relational experiences. Humility is the secret sauce in all thriving relationships.
“Humility is the displacement of self by the enthronement of God.”
Andrew Murray
Relevant Reflection:
What can you do to show humility toward a loved one?
Image by Bernadette Wurzinger from Pixabay
Comentários