Home Pastors Articles for Pastors Becoming Great Is Simple, Just Pursue This…

Becoming Great Is Simple, Just Pursue This…

Becoming Great Is Simple, Just Pursue This...

Do you desire honor and blessing? Do you desire to be great in the kingdom? Then pursue this heart attitude every day…

The world tells us to think highly of ourselves, to speak positively to ourselves, things like, “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough and doggone it, people like me.” But again and again, Scripture tells believers in Jesus to adapt a humble mindset, to “put on” humility, which doesn’t mean fake it, but do it, to be a servant. For example Colossians 3:12 says:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience…

The word for “humility” in this verse means lowliness of mind. It is a lowliness we realize as we compare ourselves to God’s greatness, holiness and majesty, rather than comparing ourselves to others in order to look down on them and feel good about ourselves.

To put on humility means we remind ourselves to think like Christ and act like Christ and to consider our lowly state compared to Christ’s greatness and then act accordingly. God gives us several reasons we should seek a humble mindset and humble ourselves before God and others…

Because Jesus was humble-minded

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. PHP 2.3-11

The king of the universe, God himself, had a humble mindset. Though he is the infinitely glorious and majestic, sovereign, all-knowing, almighty One, his mindset was to look to the interest of others, to look to our eternal interests and to empty himself, to make himself “nothing,” a servant of all, who would give his life to redeem us.

If this was the “mind” of Christ, we should seek to have this mind, as God’s word commands us.

Because Jesus tells us the way to greatness in God’s kingdom is to take the low road

A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those in authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves. LK 22.24-27

The kingdom of God is an upside down kingdom. In God’s kingdom, the way up is down. The way to greatness is to pursue humility, to seek to be the biggest servant in the house. It’s not wrong to want to be great in the kingdom. But to get there we must seek to be greatest servant.

Because God opposes the proud

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

The most fearful reason to hate pride and seek to kill it is because God himself opposes the proud. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t want God opposing me. For if God opposes me, there’s no hope. No other outcome but disaster.

One’s pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor. PR 29:23

Over and over, Scripture tells us pride will bring us low. Pride will trip us up, and lay us in the dust, bring dishonor upon us. But again and again God tells us that the humble will obtain honor. Which do you desire—to be brought low or to obtain honor?

Because God gives grace to the humble

But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6

God’s grace is his power and strength and help in time of need (Heb 4.16). Proud people don’t seek God’s grace, but try to overcome things in their own strength, navigate by their own wits. I need and want more and more of God’s grace. And the way to get it is by seeking to kill pride and pursuing humility.