Humility: a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness.

I’ll be honest, this is a word that I struggle with, probably because it was used against me so much growing up, but that’s a story for another day. I’ve been struggling with this a lot lately. As someone obsessed with personal development and building a business, there’s so much self-centeredness and focus on ME, ME, ME.

And it’s not all bad. It’s about accepting the fact that you’re capable of great things, which we all are. There’s an epidemic of sadness and self-hatred in our broken world because that’s just where the enemy wants us. But it’s reached a point where we swing so far the other direction that it ends up just making a big circle, just cloaked in self-idolization.

This was me

I know because that was me for a long time and like I mentioned, I’m still struggling. Finding that balance between being proud of myself for doing hard things and giving all the praise to God was a fine line that I was teetering on. But what I thought was a fine line is actually a clear distinction as modeled by John the Baptist.

In John 1:19-28, John the Baptist has every chance to call to attention the work he’s done, the effort that he has put in, calling attention to himself. But he doesn’t. Instead he continues to turn it all back to God and the Messiah.

At the beginning of this passage, we see a group of Jews that were sent to question JB (short for John the Baptist – easier for my brain not to get him mixed up with the “disciple that Jesus loved”) about his doings.

JB had been doing the Lord’s work for a long time.

He’d had such a power in his sermons that people from all walks of life would travel far to hear him speak. He wasn’t preaching in any fancy temple, either. He was out in the wilderness, away from major cities. So the people who wanted to hear him were committed.

This threatened the Pharisees. They held dominion over religious leadership and they didn’t want him coming above them and turning more people to what his words were than theirs. Especially considering that JB hadn’t had any official rabbinic teaching, he was the son of priest and was actually a Levite. Levites were below priests and would actually assist them, sometimes acting as temple police. The fact that someone like JB could out-do them freaked them out.

Called out.

Oof. I already know that the Lord would tear me a new one. Just thinking about that makes my chest puff up a little with pride. Anyone that could scare the Pharisees so much that they had to send a little crew out to get to know who they were had to be someone pretty dang awesome.

But that’s where JB and I differ.

JB didn’t once call attention to himself or the hard work that he was putting in. Instead he kept pointing back to Jesus, away from himself and onto the mission that he was given.

I’m gonna be real – I see my own hypocrisy here. I get so frustrated with legalistic Christians who are basically modern-day Pharisees. It drives me crazy how they think they’re better than everyone because they think they follow the law better than others. It reaches a point where they idolize their understanding, the actual religion that Jesus came to free us from, over God Himself. I get heated over it.

But I do the same dang thing.

I’m fully embracing the calling over my life after running for so long. I’m so obsessed with the Bible and learning it inside and out that it started rising above my personal relationship with Jesus. I stopped turning to Him and instead went to academic teachings and finding ways to prove others wrong. And in trying so hard to get it right, I’ve gotten this whole thing so dang wrong. I’ve idolized my calling over God.

Oof.

I have a public calling, yes. That doesn’t mean that I am better than or more special than anyone else. It simply means my calling is to publicly point everyone back to Christ and away from myself. If I ever get it twisted, I don’t deserve it.

In 1:20 ESV, it says, in response to them asking “who are you, “He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’”

The use of the word “confessed” twice is saying that he stood his ground and proudly said that he was NOT the Christ. He didn’t say “yes I do a lot for him but that’s just because he told me to.” He didn’t say “I’m not the Christ but I’m special.” Nope. He simply said “I am not the Christ” in full confidence.

JB left no room for confusion or argument.

He said what he said and that was that.

As they continue with their line of questioning, the Jews get shorter and shorter answers in response. They asked if he was Elijah. JB said “I am not.” They asked if he was The Prophet” and he said “no.”

Again, if this was me, oh man. I don’t know if it’s the fact that I’m an overstimulated mom, the ADHD taking over or simply the fact they sound really annoying, but the idea of someone asking me all of these questions drives me crazy. I’d probably roll my eyes and start giving sarcastic answers. I’d cross my arms and cock my eyebrow.

But instead, JB held his tongue. Of course we don’t know if he had a sassy attitude or not, but I believe it’s safe to assume that he was leaning on God in this moment, knowing that He would take care of it. JB didn’t run his mouth when, in my opinion, he had every right to. Instead he just gave shorter and shorter answers.

Personally, I believe this shows much of his humanness and lack of patience. I’m sure he was getting annoyed with these people but he didn’t voice it. He knew that his only job was to point them back to the Messiah. He knew his purpose and he knew that God would take care of the rest.

That’s true humility right there.

When we get in arguments with people and start to pull attention toward ourselves, it pulls those people away from Christ and that’s not our job. When speaking to the woman at the well, Jesus didn’t get short and rude with her. He kept focused on what she needed to hear. When JB was being pushed when I’m sure he was already tired, he didn’t lose it. He kept his cool.

In doing research for this post, I used Verse by Verse commentaries to help me gain a deeper understanding of the cultural context. In this commentary, it says that “His ministry was subordinate to Christ. He knew his true role in the kingdom. He understood how God viewed him.” 

Core Value

I believe this is the core value that leads to true humility. When you understand who you are in Christ, how God sees you and what your role in His plan is, it’s easier to let go of what the world is doing around you. It’s only when you get caught up in the world that you find yourself in murky waters.

It’s like when Peter walked on water. When his eyes were on Jesus, he could do it. Getting distracted by the world around him, he sank. When he got distracted, he lost the faith required to walk.

JB Answered

When asked who he was, JB answered “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness.” He brought it down to him being a voice for the coming king and nothing more.

If JB were a preacher today, I see him as having millions of subscribers on YouTube and more followers than I can imagine on Instagram and TikTok. But he wouldn’t point back to himself. He would be saving souls left and right and pointing them all back to the Creator, not to himself.

As much as I’d like to point fingers as to who should take this lesson, I need to accept this lesson for myself.

Humility.

Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your Word.

Thank You so much for Your divine guidance and gentle correction. Thank you for reminding me that this isn’t about me, but is about You.

Please help me to keep my eyes on You and no one else. Help me to direct people away from me and towards You, Lord. If there is ever a point where I don’t do that, then humble me. I don’t ever want to be a reason that someone doesn’t get closer to You. Please heal me, Lord.

Please also continue to work in the hearts of those who needed this message also. Remind them that You’re not angry at them, You’re not scolding them. You’re simply guiding them back to you.

Thank You Lord for it all.

Amen

Humility starts where striving ends, in honest surrender.

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