HUMILITY AND SERVANTHOOD

By Thomas E. Durst

"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”--Matthew 23:12 (NKJV)

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.”—1 Peter 5:6 (ESV)

Humility is difficult to precisely define in words. The supreme revelation of what humility is really all about is found in the teachings and example of our Lord (see Mark 10:35-45; John 13:4-5, 34-35). We are admonished to have that very same mind or attitude (see Philippians 2:5-9). Imagine what a different world there would be if leaders of governments and all other organizations would manifest humility and the spirit of a servant. The Kingdom of God on earth points to a vastly different model than we see in the way earthly governments operate. I see humility in our everyday relationships as something to strive for with all of our might. When we do this we are truly revealing the Kingdom of God as Jesus did (see Acts 10:38; 1 Peter 2:21). The principles by which this Kingdom operates are clearly stated in Matthew 5:3-12. These need to be the primary focus in our daily lives. Any citizenship in this present world pales into nothing in comparison to the privilege of being citizens of the Kingdom of God (see John 18:36; Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 11:13; 1 Peter 1:4).

You may contact Tom Durst at: tomdurst1@msn.com

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