Humility Builds Relationships

In review of Philippians 2:3 it tells me to “Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves” (NCV).

Today’s verse is Philippians 2:3. In it Paul tells me to not be selfish; and not try to impress others. Rather I should be humble, thinking of others as being better than myself.

What I’m learning is that selfishness ruins, but genuine humility builds. Being humble involves having a true perspective about myself. It doesn't mean that I should put myself down. Before God, I am a sinner, saved by God's grace, but I'm saved and and therefore have great worth in God's eyes and in his Kingdom. I am to lay aside my selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. Considering others' interests as more important than my own will link me with Christ, who was a true example of humility.

Pride destroys relationships. It shows up in a lot of different ways, like criticism, competition, stubbornness, and superficiality. The problem with pride is it’s self-deceiving. Everybody else can see it in me but me. When I have a problem with pride, I won’t see it in my life.

Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin” (NCV). The same verse in the Message paraphrase: “First pride, then the crash—the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.”

Pride destroys relationships, but humility is the antidote to pride. Humility builds relationships. The Bible says in 1 Peter 3:8, “Everyone must live in harmony, be sympathetic, love each other, have compassion, and be humble” (GW).

How am I going to grow in humility? It happens by letting Jesus Christ begin to control my thoughts, heart, attitude and reactions. He’s got to be a part of this. Ephesians 4:23-24 says, “Let the Spirit change your way of thinking and make you into a new person” (CEV).

How do I become a new person? How do I start to think in a different way? What I’m learning is that the basic law of relationships is this: I’ll tend to become like the people you spend time with. If I spend time with grumpy people, I’ll get grumpier. If I spend time with happy people, I’ll get happier. If I want to have more humility, spend time with Jesus Christ. He is humble. He wants a relationship with me. He wants me to spend time with him in prayer and reading his Word and talking to him. He is humble, and as I get to know him, I’ll become more like him.

“Be humble and give more honor to others than to yourselves . . . You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to” (Philippians 2:3, 5-6 NCV/NLT).

No one has done anything more humble than Jesus, coming from heaven to Earth to become a man, live for us, give his life for us, and be resurrected for us. When I spend time with him, it makes me more humble, and that builds your relationships.

Bottom Line:

Don't be selfish, be humble, putting others above yourself.

What this means to me:

I should lay aside my selfish desires and need to impress others. Instead I need to be humble and consider others better than myself.

In summary, selfishness ruins, but genuine humility builds. I need to learn to lay aside my selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy. I need to consider others' interests are more important than my own. Pride will destroy. It can be self-deceiving, everyone can see it in me but me. Humility on my part is the antidote to pride. I can learn to grow in humility by spending time with Jesus and letting him control my thoughts, heart, attitude and reactions.

I pray this morning Jesus that you, your character, your thoughts become mine and I that I being to model my life more like yours. Help me to “WWJD” (what would Jesus do) be in my thoughts as I think about and interact with others. I also ask you Father to give me wisdom and guidance in how I handle my tasks, leadership and interaction with others. I also thank you Father for your guidance yesterday in handling our data center infrastructure incident. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen.