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Walking In Humility
C.S. Lewis Institute Atlanta
Fellows Program Year 1
December
"Have this mind in you which was in Christ Jesus ... "

I.

II.

Objectives:

To develop a more biblical understanding of humility and pride

To envision how humility relates to God's overall purposes for our lives

To identify some habits of the heart that encourage humility

Humility

Some Words about Our Culture

Individualism, Self-esteem, Independence, etc.

III. What Is Humility?

A.

Humility is not (self-hatred, self-loathing, denying our abilities,

pretending to be other than we are, rejecting ourselves, punishing
ourselves, etc.)

B.

Humility is:

"not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Humble people let go of image management and self-promotion.
They honor others by making the other's needs as real and
important as their own." 1 - Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

"honesty, acknowledging the truth about ourselves, that as

creatures we depend on our Creator's power and as sinners
on our Savior's grace." 2 -John Stott

IV. Gaining Perspective

A.

The God-Centered Orientation

The transcendent, personal God created and sustains all things. He is the
"Alpha and Omega" (Rev. 1:8) the "I Am" (Ex. 3:14)

God made human beings from the "dust of the ground" (Gen. 2:7)
We are not eternal beings, we are temporal
We are not infinite beings, we are bound by space
We are not the Creator, we are human beings

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (Downers Grove: IVP, 2005),
p.191
2
John Stott, "Pride, Humility & God," Sovereign Grace Online, September/October
2000, www .sovereigngraceministries.org/sgo/v l 8no5/prt_pride.html.
1

B.

The Self-Centered Disorientation (Bondage to Me, Myself, and I)

The Great Exchange = God-centeredness for self-centeredness

lIJ Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall (Pv. 16: 18)
"I hate pride and arrogance" (Pv. 8: 13). (See the Tower of Babel and
Neb)

1.

Distrust - The essence of sin is the refusal to trust God as the center to
all life. We refuse to acknowledge that He is the giver and sustainer of
life (unbelief)

2.

Pride - always follows closely behind unbelief by replacing God with

self (Rom. 1:18-24). In our pride we attempt to overcome our perceived
limitations and vulnerabilities by taking control. It can manifest either as
self-importance or self-doubt, but either way it makes self the central
focus of life
In God you come up against something which is in every respect
immeasurably superior to yourself. Unless you know God as that-and,
therefore, know yourself as nothing in comparison-you do not know God
at all. As long as you are proud you cannot know God. A proud man is
always looking down on things and people: and, of course, as long as you
are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you. 3

C.

V.

The Christ-Centered Reorientation (Jesus, the New Humanity)

Paul call us to put on the same mind as Christ (Philippians 2: 1-11)

Humility results in the reorientation/realignment of life around a Godcentered vision of life

Habits of the Humble Heart

A.

B.

More and More God-centered

God's greatness in creation (worship and wonder)

God's goodness revealed through the gospel

Is God humble?

Following in the Footsteps of Christ, our Servant/King

Jesus is the pathway to communion with God, and participation in his

life through the Holy Spirit (GRACE)

Jesus is the pattern of what it means to be human. He anchored his

identity in God and the coming of his kingdom which gave him the
freedom to be a servant

C.S. Lewis, "Mere Christianity," The Complete C.S. Lewis Signature Classics (San
Francisco: Harpe, 2002) p.105.
2

"Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power,
and that he had come from God and was returning to God, so he got up .
. . " (Jn.13:3-4)

C.

Developing a God-centered View of Yourself

1.

The Big Picture:

Creation - in the image of God, sustained (moment-by-moment),

gifted by Him

Corruption - sinners who have turned away from God and his
purposes

New Creation - In Christ, restored, forgiven, accepted, called,

gifted, and empowered by the Holy Spirit

Consummation - God brings creation to into its fullness

Natural self-regard/love (good; Eph. 5:25-29) has been twisted and

distorted by sin so that it becomes idolatrous (Narcissism). Through the
work of Christ and the Spirit, God begins the process of transformation.
"When God talks of their losing their selves, He only means abandoning
the clamor of self-will; once they have done that, He really gives them
back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when
they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever."
Screwtape the mentor explains to wormwood, his protege
C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
2. Informed about weakness, strengths, and limitations
For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of
yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with
sober judgment, in accordance with the measure offaith God has given
you. (Rom.12:3)
God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6)

D.

E.

A God-centered View of Others (Micah 6:8; "He has told you ... ")

View every person in relationship to God (no mere mortals). See how
James applies this to how we speak about others (Js. 3:8-10)

associating with people who are of "low position" (Rom.12: 16)

Use gifts, talents, and abilities for the common good (love)

Appreciate spiritual friendship by receiving grace through others

Allow the Circumstances of Life to Encourage Dependence on God

See the C.S. Lewis, Problem of Pain, pp. 604 "God ... shouts in our pain: it is
His megaphone to rouse a deaf world."

F.

Prayer: The Habit of the Humble

3

Some Characteristics of a Humble Person

not overly concerned with image management

does not trumpet talents and accomplishments

does not name-drop

respects others' opinions

resists being the center of attention

draws others out

avoids catering to particular groups (wealthy, powerful, beautiful, etc.)

makes room for others

listens to others

keeps company with Jesus

seeks to bring glory to God

takes interest in other people

listens more than they talk

lives a grateful life

uses gifts for the good of others (talents, possessions, etc.)

free from pretension

not argumentative

gentle with others; especially those who are less powerful

is dependent on the grace of God

empowers others