Wisdom & Humility

How do you respond to the following quotes? Close your eyes and imagine someone saying the following words to you.

“I consider myself a man of wisdom.”

“Compared to many, I am a humble man.”

How do you respond?

Even as I write them, I get an uncomfortable pit in my stomach. There is something inherently wrong in speaking these words about oneself. To claim to be humble or wise isn’t our prerogative. We can’t claim them. Instead they can only be words used by OTHERS to describe us (if it’s true).

It is almost as if my claim to be wise trumps that statement. If I say I am wise, I prove I am not. In the same way, if I say I am humble I prove I am not.

I have heard myself say on numerous occasions that I hope when my time here is over, people will describe me as a man of wisdom and humility. But should that really be my goal? Is that really how I want to be remembered (if remembered at all)? Humility and wisdom are by-products of something much more important. They should not be the goals but inevitable results. The goal is that I followed Jesus, living for Him and loving Him. “But what about loving my neighbor?” “What about giving or reading the Bible or serving those in need?” How can you simply focus your life on God? Because that is the purpose of our existence. Living for God and loving Him with all of our lives is called something. It’s worship. The purpose of our lives is to worship the only one worthy of worship – God. All of the other stuff (loving neighbor, giving, serving, Bible reading, etc.) are by products of a life lived in worship of God. If our lives are committed to this goal, humility and wisdom result. They are not acquired through diligent effort or practice; they naturally result in one who follows God.

And here is why pride is such an ugly sin. It is the opposite of the worship of God. It is actually the worship of self. Adam and Eve started the trend and you and I struggle daily to avoid the inclination to worship oneself.

You will never find pride when you find wisdom.

You will never find pride when you find humility.

Remember when Solomon asked for wisdom and God honored Him for this very appropriate request? (I Kings 3:3-14) Did God just supernaturally give Solomon wisdom? Did Solomon acquire this on his own? No, Solomon’s wisdom came from his relationship with God. His great wisdom was a result of his great reliance on God. Wisdom did not come from Solomon. It came from God. Why did Solomon struggle and fall away from God later in his life? Pride. Wisdom departed from Solomon because he departed from God.

One who is wise doesn’t know it.

One who is humble doesn’t know it.

Those around them do.

Humility and wisdom result when we worship God and not ourselves.

The only way we can avoid pride is to live in love with the Father.