Humility: The Oxygen of Christian Living

“Humility is an essential ingredient in the Christian life. Just like the human body needs oxygen … humility is vital for a growing Christian. The … core practices of Christian living are all powerless unless they partner with humility.” (Character Makeover, p. 41).

My recent hospital stay illustrates this. I went in for a knee replacement expecting to wake up on the orthopedic floor. When I returned to consciousness, I was in a room on the cardiac floor. My sister told me that while I was in recovery, my oxygen level dropped causing an erratic heart beat. Oxygen was given to level out my heart rate. When I stabilized, they removed the oxygen and all was well.

Two days later, I awakened to my heart trying to jump out of my chest. My oxygen level had dropped again. After several tests, the doctors believe I have sleep apnea. Apparently, when I am asleep, I forget to breathe!

We know oxygen is essential for life but don’t we take it for granted? How often do we notice each breath? I had knee surgery but the hospital chose to put my heart first. After all, having two good knees really doesn’t matter if my heart isn’t receiving enough oxygen. No oxygen, no life. Everything else is meaningless. The same is true of the Christian life without humility.

What is humility? Is it debasing oneself? Does it mean we become doormats allowing others to walk all over us? Charles Spurgeon said, “Humility is the proper estimate of oneself.” Or as God’s Word says,

“Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn't think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.” (Philippians 2: 5-5, MSG).

Jesus is our perfect example of humility. He didn’t have a low opinion of Himself.

Secure in His identity as a Child of God, He didn’t need the acceptance or accolades of others. His only desire was to please His Father.

Humility doesn’t come by our own strength. Humility results when we allow Jesus to live in and through us. We do this by spending time in His Word and prayer.

We tend to resemble the people with whom we hang around. Who do you hang around with?

Father, teach us to spend time with Your Son. We want to be more like Him. Teach us to think of ourselves the way He thought of Himself so that our only desire is to please You. In His Name, Amen.

Submitted By: Ginny Holcombe