The small dare not be humble

If you have been following this devotional, "Everyday with Jesus" you will know that we've been discussing about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We are currently on the fruit "Gentleness" which can also be called Humility or Meekness.

Today we read John 13:1-15, Numbers 12:1-11 and Exodus 18:13-16.

John 13:3,5 says: 

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power... he poured water... and began to wash his disciples' feet.

Commentary from Everyday with Jesus:

This passage of Scriptures have long been one of my favorite sections of the New testament. It was the consciousness of His standing in the Father that enabled His humility. The small dare not be humble. Let me explain what I mean by "standing". Jesus's standing was rooted in God. 

Being in God made Him great and humble. Great because he is humble-humble because He is great. A Hindu remarked to a missionary, 

"I used to believe in idols but now I don't believe in them at all. I'm coming round to the belief that I myself am a god." 

He gave up the idols and made one of himself!

When we lose sight of God, we loose sight of humility. It is as simple as that: no true vision of God, no true vision of humility. Humility is not a cringing, servile attitude, although, sadly many Christians seem to view it in this way. 

Phillips Brooks, a nineteenth-century American preacher, once said, 

"The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is. Stand at your highest and then look at Christ, then go away and forever be humble." 

The truly humble are conscious of His greatness before they are conscious of their own humility.

Questions: 

1. Contrast Miriam and Aaron's attitudes with that of Moses.

2. How could Moses be humble yet lead and judge a nation?

My contribution:

I would liken Jesus' standing with God and that of our relationships here on earth. When you are fully aware that your earthly father is wealthy, you do not come out openly to declare it. You are completely satisfied and contented with yourself cause you are confident in your father's status. You would simply walk into a room and be calm even when no one recognizes your presence. 

On the other hand, people who really have nothing with no esteem, make the loudest noise wanting you to know they have it all, whereas they are suffering. They are constantly afraid of being exposed and therefore try to dominate others in public.

Jesus knew His standing and wasn't afraid that he will be looked down on by His disciples when he stooped to wash their feet. He had nothing to loose and everything to gain. He taught us how to treat each other; considering each other better than ourselves.

Mirian spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife. She probably started having issues with the woman and she resorted to speaking against her brother. She must have thought to herself that Moses was the younger one and didn't have the right to hear from God alone. She had developed pride with time, in the context that Moses owed her his life. Even to the point that when the Lord's presence departed and she became leprous, she still could not bring herself to cry out for mercy. Aaron was the one who cried out and called to Moses.

We are called to recognize God's greatness and that He is our Father. It is in this knowledge that humility/gentleness flows from us without physical effort to make ourselves look humble. 

May the Lord help us.

Prayer: Lord God, in my effort to understand humility, please, help me always to remember that it springs from a consciousness of greatness. And may my sense of greatness be rooted in You, in Jesus' name. Amen.