Daily Encourager - June 5, 2020
The Heart of Humility
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but to also to the interests of others. Have, in you, the same mindset as Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 2:3-5
In a world of disharmony, discontent, and disagreement, how do you get people to work together?
Yes, I know that is a loaded question. It is painful sometimes to see the state of the world. We live in what is perhaps the most technologically advanced civilization that has ever existed. We have the ability to communicate in every language, and across oceans simply with a cell phone. We can interact with almost every nation and culture, and have learned much from one another, but we still don’t have harmony.
These are broad statements and I’m sure there are places where harmony and unity may happen. However, even if there are groups that works together in harmony they are often at odds with another group. The root of disharmony, in my opinion, is found in our inability to first see where we do agree.
The psalmist writes: How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Psalm 133:1).
How the unity of the psalmist relates to what Paul writes in Philippians about humility leads us the understand the “when.” People live together in unity when they are not looking to their own interests, but to the interests of others. In other words, when there is humility, there is the beginning of harmony.
Humility is, I believe, a key to truly listening and working together to find common ground, to build a better world and to see the Kingdom of God. After all, Paul does follow up the call to humility with a call to have the same mindset as Christ.
The call to humility, however, is not a call to let others have their way. When both or all parties enter a conversation humbly they are seeking to understand the perspective of the other, they want and seek to find places to agree, they truly listen and help to uplift one another in the midst of the conversation so that harmony can be reached.
Many are hurting and fearful in our world about many different topics, and especially those topics that affect them, personally. Yet, as the church, we have a task ever before us, and that is to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. I don’t believe we can allow things that are happening beyond us to affect that mission. I believe we need to focus on what it is we can do, and in the humility of service to those here in our little corner of Knoxville, we are called to shine with the light and love of Christ.
So, yes, pray that humility can happen there; but let us also not neglect to have the humility of Christ as we continue to offer our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, and our witness, at St. Mark United Methodist Church, and to our neighbors who still need us to share with them the love of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grace & Peace,
Pastor Sam