My day started early, very early. By mid-morning I had put in a pretty full day. That is when I received the call. The phone call where an influential person reviewed how disappointed they were with my performance.
I sat and listened, because if I opened my mouth, well let’s just say Proverbs has already said a lot about speech, fools, etc.
It wasn’t until much later in what had been a long day that I sat down to write on chapter 22 of Proverbs. I mull over these chapters for days before I write. Verse 4 had been stuck in my mind for days—and now it simply jumped at me.
The reward for humility is fear of the Lord, riches, honor and life.
I haven’t been in a “humble mood” since that phone call—the strength of my thoughts have one source: pride.
I am not saying the right response to the phone call is to be runover, but as a leader I need to not speak from a place/source of pride.
I pulled up my notes from Andrew Murray’s Humility: The Journey Toward Holiness and studied them again.
As leaders we are put in positions of responsibility. Things happen, goals are achieved, and we “take pride in our accomplishments”—and in the process we forget how much God has done.
Murray writes, “When God created the universe, it was his objective of making those he created to be partakers of his perfection. God communicated with his creatures by his creation revealing a part of His nature to his creatures.” (Just a part).
“But this communication was not meant to give us something we could possess for ourselves – apart from him:
1. God’s power creates.
2. God’s power maintains.”
I too often think it is my talents that yield the results; the “creation and maintenance”. And so pride – the loss of humility – the root of every sin and evil – easily creeps into my life.
I think leaders are especially vulnerable to this pitfall of thinking we are the ones creating.
We work hard. We pray hard. We know in our minds that God is in all of it. But when the results come in, we (I) perhaps take too much of the credit in my heart.
What can save us and restore our lost humility?
Returning to God’s original design for our relationship with him—the creature to the Creator.
That is what Jesus does—He restores us to a right relationship to the Father.
Jesus brings humility back to earth. When we turn to Him, we receive God’s infinite love. When we turn to Him, we are given again the chance of humility.
Yet Murray also emphasizes that humility born from the desire to not sin is not enough. “Humility, born from the joy of serving the Master…is infinitely deeper than a conviction for sin.”
One last thought. Sometimes we confuse humility with weakness.
Turning again to Murray, “Be not dismayed, the humility of the Lamb of God cast out Satan and his pride.”
All of this adds up to 3 Thoughts for me:
1. As a Leader, seek not to speak from a place of prideful-ness.
2. When pride arises, not only repent, but replace it with joy of serving.
3. Finally, don’t confuse humility and weakness…act with strength and humility.
Now I am off to see if I can put this into practice—say a prayer for me!