Am I humble?

The sacrifice that God wants is a humble spirit. God, you will not turn away someone who comes with a humble heart and is willing to obey you. - Psalm 51:17 (ERV)

Humility is defined as a modest or low view of one's own importance. With respect to the Christ-follower and authentic faith, this characteristic is evidenced as we recognize our utter spiritual bankruptcy apart from God. It describes those who are acutely conscious of their own lostness and hopelessness apart from divine grace. The importance of this mindset is emphasized with the first words Jesus spoke in the Sermon on the Mount.

"Blessed [spiritually prosperous, happy, to be admired] are the poor in spirit [those devoid of spiritual arrogance, those who regard themselves as insignificant], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven [both now and forever]. - Matthew 5:3 (Amplified Bible)

James further emphasizes the characteristic of humility with those who obtain God's grace in the following verses.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty, is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor. - James 4:6b-10 (NLT)

When was the last time you knelt before the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sovereign God of the Universe, in true humility and expressed your genuine sorrow for your sins which nailed Jesus Christ to the cross of Calvary?

In the greatest display of humility, Christ humbled himself to leave His rightful position at the right hand of God the Father and take on the form of a human, to come to earth and die on a cross for the sins of all creation. He died on that cross to provide the only acceptable sacrifice and atonement of our sin. Our living in genuine humility is a validation of authentic faith.

Am I executing this life with an attitude of genuine humility?

Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking about yourself less. - CS Lewis

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. 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, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. - Philippians 2:5-8 (NLT)

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found me out.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me! - Charles Wesley

The more excellent something is the more likely it will be imitated. There are many false diamonds and rubies, but who goes about making counterfeit pebbles? However, the more excellent things are the more difficult it is to imitate them in their essential character and intrinsic virtues. Yet the more variable the imitations be, the more skill and subtlety will be used in making them an exact imitation.  So it is with Christian virtues and graces. The devil and men’s own deceitful hearts tend to imitate those things that have the highest value. So no graces are more counterfeited than love and humility. For these are the virtues where the beauty of a true Christian is seen most clearly. - Jonathan Edwards

Be Encouraged to follow Our Savior's example and execute this life with genuine humility.

-Jeffrey Thornton