Spiritually Unequal Marriage

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Humble Confidence

Dear friends, our very own Teresa T. has a great message for us today: This group loves God’s word and often discusses how to best apply the scriptures. Winning Him…

Dear friends, our very own Teresa T. has a great message for us today:

HumbleConfidentThis group loves God’s word and often discusses how to best apply the scriptures. Winning Him Without Words encourages us to serve as a living testimony, rather than to badger our pre-believers with arguments and ploys. So, it is important for us to be clear in our own minds about what scriptures ask us to do.

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, …. 1Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Some translations use the word “meekness” instead of “gentleness.”

Let’s explore some commandments on humility and confidence that can appear, at first glance, to be difficult to put together. How can we be both? Join me in a short series of posts to explore how we can marry these commandments together in our lives. I hope that through discussion, we will find that they fit together nicely.

Let’s start by looking at humility and meekness. Here are a few passages:

Passage

Comment

Micah 6:8 (NIV)

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
      And what does the Lord require of you?
  To act justly and to love mercy
      and  to walk humbly with your God.

I love this passage. It is good  to be humble. The Lord requires us to be humble. That’s clear.

Colossians 3:12 (NIV)

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly   loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

This passage is also a command. Here, humility is in good company with  other sweet characteristics that speak to the condition of our hearts. Humility is not just a rank or station in life. It is a state of being.

Matthew 20:26 – 27 (NIV)

Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become   great among you must be your servant, and  whoever wants to be first must be your slave-

What? Become the least to become the greatest? 

God’s economy just is not the same as the world’s economy. In this passage, Christ gives a terrific definition of humility.  And He tells us that He values it.

Proverbs 3:34 (HCSB)

He mocks those who mock,
  but gives grace to the humble.

Proverbs 3:34 (ESV)

Toward the scorners he is scornful,But to the humble, he gives favor.

He values humility so much. The humble get grace and favor. Sign me up.

Matthew 5:5 (NIV)

Blessed are the meek,
      for  they will inherit the earth.

Matthew 5:5 (HCSB)

The gentle are blessed,
  for they will inherit the earth.

Do you recognize the Beatitudes?

Looking at different translations can help to clarity scriptures.   Here, one translation uses the word “meek” and another “gentle.”

Humility means to be modest and to consider your own importance less than you consider the importance of others. It means to respect God and others. It means to accept God's authority. Other words that mean humble include meek, modest and unpretentious. Arrogance is the opposite of humility.

When we realize that all our strengths come from Him and He loves us in spite of our earthly faults, we can be more gentle and loving toward others.

Humility does not imply self-loathing. Humility does not require us to think we are worthless. We are not. We are created in His image (Genesis 1:27). We have heard that so often, but stop to think how powerful that is. We are created in the image of God. Wowzers. There is something good in each of us that it meant to reveal an aspect of God. And God sent His Son to die for us so that we can live an abundant life (John 3:16). He values us. Modest does not mean frumpy. Respecting others does not mean we disrespect ourselves.

I think that it takes a certain amount of self-confidence to be humble. We can put others first when we are not constantly looking for self-affirmation.

Review the verses listed in the table above once again. We are rewarded for being humble. Doesn’t that give you courage? Are you starting to see that humility and courage really do go together? The next time I post, we’ll look more closely at courage.

Prayer

Lord, soften our hearts. Let us become humble and put value on others. Help us to not seek compliments or the center of attention. Help us to lavish attention on our loved ones and invest time in them, even when we are tired. Show us how we can bless a stranger. Let us be patient, kind and caring. Amen.

Conversation

What does humility mean to you? How do you see its relationship with courage?  How does humility help you to show love? There are plenty of other verses on humility and meekness. Is there one that speaks to you? Can you think of a "role model" who exhibits this trait? Share in the comments below.

Thanks

Thanks, Lynette, for inspiring this post! I enjoy our discussions. ~ Teresa

Such a great message about humility. Thank you, Teresa! Hugs! ~Dineen & Lynn

Comments

19 responses

  1. Lynette Duquette Avatar
    Lynette Duquette

    Oh my, honored I could be an inspiration to you! I struggled with the word humble. I always though it meant humiliated or allowing yourself to be humiliated, but that isn’t the case as you stated. Growing up the way I did, humiliation was a normal day to day thing. It’s very hard to find that balance when you do need someone to affirm you to get rid of the lies that the humiliation I faced in my younger years brings. But me and Jesus are working on it.

    Reply
  2. Heather Passuello Avatar
    Heather Passuello

    A really great post and right on time! I am currently going to be doing a short teaching to our church ladies group in July about humility and servant leadership. I think that people often struggle with being humble because it goes against our human nature at times. We are selfish people who want the credit for something we’ve done, when God requires the opposite. I also believe that there is nothing wrong with receiving praise for a job well done, as long as we take it to our Father and return it to Him, in private. That is being humble. I see a lot of people in the church who have a false humility and I am sure I have struggled with it myself at times. Good Stuff Teresa!!

    Reply
  3. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    Love that last line, Lynette. And you and Jesus will succeed. That’s His heart for you and He will do it. Love you!

    Reply
  4. Dineen Miller Avatar
    Dineen Miller

    So true, Heather. I know you will bring great wisdom to the ladies you teach. Jesus will supply all that you need. Such a beautiful picture of service too! Hugs!

    Reply
  5. Heid Avatar
    Heid

    I second that Dineen! You will succeed Nette!!!! God, and your SUM family is here to give you the affirmation you need :-)Your heavenly Father is standing next to you, arms held open wide, with unconditional love that obliterates the lies you faced as a child. Isaiah49:13 Shout for Joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the Lord (your Dad ;-)comforts his people and WILL have compassion on His afflicted ones.

    Reply
  6. Heidi Avatar
    Heidi

    Great topic! How awesome you are choosing to do this study. I think it is a subject all will get something out of it. As humans we all struggle to some degree with humility. If not then maybe denial is a struggle to add LOL. I pray for humility continually because I want to be humble in such a way as Jesus displayed as a man. And yet I know I fall way short of attaining that.

    Reply
  7. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    The younger we are when we get a message in our head, the harder it can be to modify the thinking. When I first started working, behavior that I thought was polite would be interpreted as shy or unenergetic. That really surprised me.
    I keep feeding myself the Word which helps transform me and my thinking. We are all a work in progress.

    Reply
  8. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    You will have to share more about your study!

    Reply
  9. Kathy Avatar
    Kathy

    I pray for humility everyday as well. I want to be more and more like Christ. I am reading thru and studying the gospels. Wow Jesus was so humble. As you stated in the definition of humility: it is to consider the importance of others. The Lord showed me that there are times especially in this marriage that I want things my way. He has been teaching me that I need to see that my way isn’t important. This is a work in progress for sure!! My husband is one that puts himself first in everything. It is all about him. That has made it hard for me cause sometimes I want it to be about me. Again a work in progress. It takes courage to allow the Lord to work in my life and to give up what I want and do what the Lord wants.

    Reply
  10. Tanya Avatar
    Tanya

    What a wonderful topic! The quantities of meekness, gentleness, and humility certainly were not encouraged in the era I grew up in. The women’s liberation movement was at its peak when I was at a very impressionable age, I in turn was taught to be loud, argumentstive and boastful!! this just felt wrong. As I grow with Jesus by my side, I’m changing…….and it feels right 🙂 I’m so grateful to this on-line community, and this ministry.

    Reply
  11. Dene't Avatar
    Dene’t

    Oh so difficult to allow the Spirit to humble me. My first response is a defensive reaction! Sometimes I get so discouraged and then I remember it isn’t about me. Thank you for the daily reminder. I’m so grateful God brought this group. And His grace!

    Reply
  12. Joanne Avatar
    Joanne

    Always inspired by your enlightenment TT! God gave me a message on a license plate in front of me a few weeks back that I keep reflecting on.
    BREATHE

    Reply
  13. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    You have a good heart.

    Reply
  14. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    I am glad this feels right. I agree this community is special and important. One of my heros of humility was my former father in law. He worked all day and came home to maintain the house and feed the kids while his wife was ill for years. He never complained. He had an easy, happy manner about him.

    Reply
  15. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    My immediate reaction can also be to defend myself from verbal assault. I can feel justified in doing so. Yet, I don’t think my defenses influence anyone’s behavior for the better. I often get a more cooperative reaction to calm logic. I realize how hard it is for my prebeliever to live from his own power since I have the Spirit to help me. It is just soooooooo…… Hard to do at times!

    Reply
  16. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    I love how your eyes are so alert to messages in every day artifacts. Your artist’s eyes are special.

    Reply
  17. Heather Avatar
    Heather

    I always read the posts- not always the comments and rarely comment myself… This was so well written and laid out. Thank you Teresa! I am a ‘quiet’ SUMite but want you all to know how much I value this blog!!

    Reply
  18. Teresa T Avatar
    Teresa T

    Thank you, Heather, for commenting today. I draw such encouragement from this community.

    Reply
  19. Martha Bush Avatar
    Martha Bush

    Ju7st now getting caught up after being out of town. This is a great post, Teresa. Looking forward to more on this series.
    I love your statement: “I think that it takes a certain amount of self-confidence to be humble. We can put others first when we are not constantly looking for self-affirmation.”
    I add to that, we obtain our self-confidence by knowing who we are in Christ. That helps a lot of things fall into place, doesn’t it.
    Looking forward to knowing more about courage.

    Reply

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