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The Value of Humility in Faith

Humility is an important quality that is pleasing to Jehovah. It involves throwing away pride, acknowledging mistakes, setting matters straight, and seeking forgiveness. The document discusses how humility aids one in times of adversity and is a quality of God and Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that Christians must cultivate genuine humility, not false humility, which can lead to haughtiness. Humility promotes peace, unity in congregations, and is essential for gaining Jehovah's favor.

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kyle vincent
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27 views4 pages

The Value of Humility in Faith

Humility is an important quality that is pleasing to Jehovah. It involves throwing away pride, acknowledging mistakes, setting matters straight, and seeking forgiveness. The document discusses how humility aids one in times of adversity and is a quality of God and Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that Christians must cultivate genuine humility, not false humility, which can lead to haughtiness. Humility promotes peace, unity in congregations, and is essential for gaining Jehovah's favor.

Uploaded by

kyle vincent
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Humility

Freedom from pride or arrogance; lowliness of mind. It is not weakness but a state of mind that
is pleasing to Jehovah.

- Be afflicted
- Be humbled
- Be oppressed

Drawn from a root word that means the above listed.

Proverbs 6:1-5

My son, if you have put up security for your neighbor


If you have given your handshake to a stranger,
If you have been ensnared by your promise,
Caught by the words of your mouth
Do this, my son, and free yourself,
For you have fallen into the hand of your neighbor:
Go and humble yourself and urgently plead with your neighbor.
Do not allow your eyes to sleep,
Nor your eyelids to slumber.
Free yourself like a gazelle from the hunters hand,
Like a bird from the hand of the birdcatcher.

In other words, throw away your pride, acknowledge your mistake, set matters straight, and
seek forgiveness. Jesus admonished that a person humble himself before God like a child and
that, instead of trying to be prominent, he minister to or serve his brothers.
1. Throw away pride;
2. Acknowledge mistake
3. Set matters straight
4. Seek forgiveness

Humility has great value in the eyes of Jehovah. Although God does not owe mankind anything,
in undeserved kindness he is ready to show mercy and favor to those humbling themselves
before him. Such ones show that they are not trusting or boasting in themselves but are looking
to him and want to do his will.

Jehovah provides the right guidance:


- Ezra needed protection on a journey but did not want to ask the king of Persia for a
military escort and thereby show reliance on human might. Besides, he had previously
said to the king: The hand of our God is over all those seeking him for good.
- Daniel 10:12 He then said to me: Do not be afraid, O Daniel. Your words have been
heard from the first day that you gave your heart to understanding and to humbling
yourself before your God, and I have come because of your words.

Aids One in Time of Adversity:


- If calamity comes, humility enables a person to hold up and endure as well as to
continue his service to God.
- When a certain Benjamite named Shimei began publicly calling down evil on David, and
Davids officer Abishai wanted to kill the man for so disrespecting the king, David display
humility. He replied to Abishai: Here my own son, who has come forth out of my own
inward parts, is looking for my soul; how much more a Benjaminite! Perhaps Jehovah
will see with his eye, and Jehovah will actually restore to me goodness instead of his
malediction this day.

A Quality of God

- Jehovah God himself includes humility among his qualities


- He shows humility in exercising mercy and great compassion upon lowly sinners, not
because there is any inferiority on his part or any submission to others.
- That he deals with sinners at all and has provided his Son as a sacrifice for mankinds
sins is an expression of his humility.
- Through undeserved kindness, mercy was thereby shown to Adams offspring, giving
them opportunity for everlasting life.
- You will give me your shield of salvation, and it is your humility that makes me great. (2
Samuel 22:36)
- You give me your shield of salvation, your right hand supports me, and your humility
makes me great. (Psalms 18:35)

Jesus Christs Humility

- On the evening before his death, Jesus girded himself with a towel and washed and
dried the feet of each of his 12 apostles, a service customarily performed by menials and
slaves.
- Philippians 2:11: Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who,
although he was existing in Gods form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely,
that he should be equal with God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slaves form
and became human. More than that, when came as a man, he humbled himself and
became obedient to the point of death, yes, death on a torture stake. For this very
reason, God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is
above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend-of those
in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground and every tongue should
openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
- Therefore, those who have humility can rejoice, even though they may have been
crushed and mistreated by the proud and haughty. They can take comfort in the words:
Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial
decision. Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you may be concealed in the
day of Jehovahs anger. (Zephaniah 2:3)
- Then I shall remove from the midst of you your haughty exultant ones; and you will
never again be haughty in my holy mountain. And I shall certainly let remain in the midst
of you a people humble and lowly, and they will actually take refuge in the name of
Jehovah. (Zep 3:11, 12)

Christians Must Cultivate Humility


- Accordingly, as Gods chosen ones, holy and loved, clothe yourselves with the tender
affections of compassion, kindness, lowliness of mind, mildness, and long-suffering.
(Colossians 3:10, 12)
- For, though I am free from all persons, I have myself the slave to all, [so] that I may gain
the most persons. And so to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to
those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, that I might
gain those under law. To those without law I became as without law, although I am not
without law toward God but under law toward Christ, that I might gain those without law.
To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to
people of all sorts, that I might by all means save some. (1Corinthians 9:19-22)

Works for Peace


- Humility promotes peace.
- A humble person does not fight his Christian brothers in order to establish his supposed
personal rights.
- The apostle argued that, though he had freedom to do all things, he would do only the
things that are upbuilding, and if a brothers conscience was bothered by his personal
actions, he would refrain from that practice.
- [] the results of humility brings in the way peace to the individual and to the
organization far outweigh the feeling of humiliation; also, his humble action further
develops and strengthen in the individual the fine quality of humility.

Essential for unity in the congregation

- Humility will help the Christian to be content with the things that he has, and it will help
him to maintain joy and balance.
- The interdependency of the Christian congregation, as illustrated by the apostle at First
Corinthians chapter 12, is based on obedience, humility, and submissiveness to Gods
organizational arrangement.
- Therefore, while the male members of the congregation are told: if any man is reaching
out for an office of overseer, he is desirous of a fine work, they are also told not to be
ambitiously seeking a position of responsibility, for example, as teachers of the
congregation, for these shall receive heavier judgment.
- All, men and women, should be submissive to those taking the lead and should wait on
Jehovah for any appointments or assignments to responsibility, for it is from him that
promotion comes. (Ps. 75:6, 7)
- Such true humility takes time to develop.

False Humility

- Christians are warned against letting their humility be only on the surface.
- Anyone who takes delight in a mock humility can become puffed up without proper
cause by his fleshly frame of mind.
- A person who is truly humble will not think that the Kingdom of God or entering into it has
to do with what one eats or drinks or what one refrains from eating or drinking
- The Bible shows that a person may eat or drink or may refrain from partaking of certain
things because he feels he should, from a health standpoint or for the sake of
conscience.
- Yet if a person thinks that his having favorable standing with God depends on whether
he eats, drinks, or touches certain things or whether or not he observes certain religious
days, he does not realize that his actions are possessed of an appearance of wisdom in
a self-imposed form of worship and mock humility, a severe treatment of the body; but
they are no value in combatting the satisfying of the flesh.
- False humility can actually result in developing haughtiness in the individual for he may
tend to think he is righteous on his own merit.
- Or he may feel that he is accomplishing his ends, not realizing that he cannot deceive
Jehovah.
- If haughtiness develops, he will in time be humbled in a way that he will not enjoy.
- He will be brought low, and it may be to his own destruction.

CULTIVATE GENUINE HUMILITY

(WT 2005)

- 1. All such rulers have one thing in common: They did not leave a record of being
genuinely humble.

- 2. Nor could you imagine that they would go to the humble dwellings of crushed citizens
to uplift the spirits of such ones. How different their attitude toward lowly human
creatures is from that of the Supreme Ruler of the universe, Jehovah God.

- 3.

Common questions

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Cultivating humility is crucial for Christians as it is associated with righteous living, fostering unity, peace, and adherence to divine guidance . It requires Christians to avoid superficial expressions of humility that could lead to self-righteousness and instead focus on genuine modesty and service to others . Challenges include resisting cultural or personal inclinations toward pride and self-promotion, maintaining sincerity in humility, and avoiding the pitfalls of false humility that conceals underlying haughtiness .

Genuine humility in a religious context involves a true lowliness of mind and sincere desire to serve others and comply with God's will without seeking personal accolades or relying on one's own merit . In contrast, false humility is characterized by a surface-level appearance of modesty, often linked to mock humility, self-imposed forms of worship, or severe treatment of the body under the guise of spirituality . Such false humility can lead to haughtiness, with individuals erroneously thinking they are righteous due to their deeds rather than genuine humility .

Christians can learn from biblical examples such as Ezra and Daniel that humility, characterized by reliance on God's guidance rather than human might, is crucial in facing societal and external challenges . Ezra, for example, chose not to request military protection to demonstrate trust in divine provision, while Daniel was heard by God for his humble commitment to understanding . These examples underscore humility’s role in seeking divine support and wisdom when confronting challenges beyond one's immediate control.

Humility manifests in individual religious practice as a personal quality of lowliness of mind, fostering attitudes of service and dedication to others without seeking personal gain . Collectively, it is seen in the cohesion and unity of religious communities, as members exercise humility in their interactions, prioritizing communal well-being over individual rights . This collective humility is essential for peace, unity, and effective functioning of the religious congregation .

Humility as a divine quality is exemplified in the way Jehovah God describes His interactions with humanity. Despite His supreme position, God shows humility by exercising mercy and compassion on sinners, and providing them opportunities for redemption through His Son, demonstrating His willingness to engage benevolently with lowly humans . This divine humility is not indicative of inferiority or submission but rather a profound expression of undeserved kindness .

Humility contributes to enduring adversity by allowing individuals to maintain their service to God even in challenging times and enabling them to hold up and endure calamities . For example, the biblical figure David displayed humility by enduring public insults without retaliation, trusting Jehovah to restore goodness to him instead of seeking vindication through violent means . Humility thus provides an inner strength and perspective that aids in facing adversities constructively.

Humility is essential for maintaining unity within a religious congregation as it fosters contentment and balance among members . It encourages members to be submissive to the organizational arrangement and leadership without ambitiously seeking high status or positions, recognizing that promotions and appointments come from Jehovah . Humility helps individuals respect and support one another's roles, thereby promoting peace and cooperation over personal rights .

Humility aids individuals in seeking forgiveness by encouraging them to abandon pride, acknowledge mistakes, and set matters straight as urged in Proverbs, which advises one to urgently plead with neighbors when caught in wrongful commitments . This process involves a willingness to prioritize harmony and correct wrongs, facilitating reconciliation and fostering sincere relationships through acknowledgment and humility .

Humility fosters peace by reducing conflicts among Christian brothers over personal rights, as a humble person prioritizes communal harmony over asserting personal freedoms . The apostle Paul discussed the approach of avoiding actions that might trouble another's conscience, indicating that humility involves sensitivity and restraint for the sake of peace, which ultimately contributes to both personal and organizational tranquility .

The humility of Jesus Christ is portrayed through actions such as washing his apostles' feet — a task typically performed by servants, demonstrating his willingness to serve others . Further, Jesus Christ, though existing in God's form, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped at; instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave and humbly accepting death on a torture stake, which led to his exaltation by God . This highlights Jesus's profound humility and obedience.

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