At the heart of our sin problem is pride. We consider ourselves to be better than everyone else, so we treat them unkindly. We think we are above the law, so we disobey God’s instructions to us in Scripture. We lie because we do not want to acknowledge we have made a mistake. Pride always takes us to a place we never intended to go and leads us on a path toward destruction. Scripture teaches that there is a better way than giving in to pride. Instead of living pridefully, Christ followers are invited to choose humility.
As he instructs Christ followers to live differently than the rest of the world, Peter calls his readers to choose humility instead of pride in 1st Peter 3. He writes in this passage of Scripture, “Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude” (verse 8). We must keep a humble attitude in everything we do. When we live in humility, we treat others around us well, obey God and His word, and point those around us to Christ.
Simply put, living in humility leads us toward living like Christ and pointing others to Him. After all, Christ was the ultimate example of humility. Paul wrote about Jesus’ humility in Philippians 2. He wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too” (verse 3). Christlike humility treats those around us as better than ourselves. When we follow His example of humility, we look out for the needs of those around us. This is the humility that Christ modeled for us while He lived on earth.
It is time for each one of us to choose to live with humility. It is time that we start thinking about others and their needs above our own. Will you choose to model the humility that Christ showed us today?
Commit today to choose to live humbly. Set out to look out for the needs of everyone around you. Think about others and their needs above yourself, and when you can help meet needs, meet them. As you live with the same humility that Christ modeled, you will point people to Christ, the one who gave us the ultimate example of humility.
Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? 2 Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose.
3 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. 4 Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
6 Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born as a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
8 he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal’s death on a cross.
9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. 13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.
14 Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. 16 Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.
