Learning humility.

We talked about learning humility last Saturday night.

There’s a story in Luke about the disciples arguing over which one was greatest. This was just after everyone had been marveling about the greatness of God. Which was their response to Jesus healing a boy that nine of the disciples couldn’t heal. So it makes us wonder if the conversation started with Peter saying, “If I would have been there, I would have healed him. But Jesus was spending some time with just the three of us.”

I don’t know.

I do know that we often get caught up in trying to be the best in what we do, which includes being the best possible Christian.

So how do we learn humility?

1. We ask God to help us hear.

2. We listen to other people talk.

3. We hear what they need and we do what we can to help with that need, with as little attention as possible.

4. We don’t report back about how hard we worked to help.

5. We ask God to help us hear.

6. We listen more closely to other people.

7. We hear what they need and we ask God to help us see an even better way to help with that need.

8. We forget to tell anyone that we were helping.

9. We forget to consume our favorite media while we ask God to help us hear.

10. We listen to the same person we have helped a hundred times and we don’t sigh.

11. We finally hear why they need as they are filling that hole in their heart with whine.

12. We understand the whine in our own heart.

13. We thank God that the other person helped us hear.

14. We get as little attention as a child gets as the big people’s table. And so we silently help clear the dishes.

5 thoughts on “Learning humility.

  1. Rich Dixon

    My friend Ryan posted this on Facebook a few days ago: “As Jesus grew in fame, he spent more time with the poor and broken, and less time with the influential. I think we often get this backwards.”

    It got me thinking about who I hang out with at church and whether I need to be the center of attention. I think that has something ti do with learning humility. I’m betting Jesus would be okay with a less important seat.

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  2. joseph ruiz

    Or we completely skip by yesterday’s post and get spun up reacting to a situation and hurt someone very close. I observe think I have learned a lesson and then become the .10 person (the one needing the help! ) It’s complicated and it’s simple – acutally I complicate Jesus often has pretty simple solutions. Thanks for sharing Jon.

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  3. Andrea

    This question. Right here: “So how do we learn humility?”
    It’s been rumbling around in my head for 2 days now.
    So grateful for an answer.

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