I asked a question the other day and the LORD moved me to study this deeper.
When you ask a person or Christian “What is false humility?” many come up with an example or two.
A person who is humble is in it for the long haul, not short term self interests. Humility is often associated or seen as low self esteem, but in reality, it is the arrogant who are distorted.
It is easy to fake interest in another individual’s existence, especially it there is something in it for us, i.e. recognition, status or some sort of benefit.
Another example of false humility are the pretenders who try to be something they are not and in reality are self deceived. They will pretend to be generous, but in reality, they are self centered.
Sometimes people don’t even realize their behaviors are that way; even well meaning and seasoned people do not understand this problem.
Proud and arrogant people are exaggerated in their own viewpoint. They seek to have the consideration and credit for everything.
Yes, if we remain in real repentance, it will keep us accountable, keeping us honest and open, as; “living epistles seen and read of all men” Being real and up front is a good thing, and it keeps us humble.
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? Or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart,” 2 Corinthians 3:1-3 KJV.
The devil likes to twist words, and we all have different backgrounds and with some it is harder than others.
We each live life and God uses everything we go through. The enemy will try to get to us coming or going.
Satan wants to stomp us down where we feel useless and unwanted. Then we start feeling good about ourselves and he throws in a wrench to shake our confidence in Christ.
However, he tries to push us further from confidence into pride. Pride is his goal, why?
That was the same sin that God through him out of heaven for.
If the devil can get us to believe we have pride instead of confidence, it will shut us up, because we love Jesus and in our heart of hearts we know we don’t want to do nothing to offend our Jesus.
So we go through various stages of deliverance in our walk, and each one God leads us through is designed to free us more and more.
Yes, in sacrificing our Ishmaels, how many times have our own self interests kept us from victory over the years? How many times have we got ahead of God?
Yes, when we have rough backgrounds in the particular area of being put down and disqualified, with self hate, and self criticisms. If the enemy can’t get us coming he gets us going.
Developing confidence is a long, love lesson from Jesus. We all want love. As we understand and learn God’s kind of love, being accepted is what we crave and desire.
Our needs are only met by our Jesus and he fills those areas with himself.
If we begin to think that we are better than other people, we become less worthy and we lose what qualities we earn through trial and testing that makes us more valuable to the cause of Christ.
The more advanced we go in Christ we, the humble maintain their agenda to be His feet into His will and His glory!
Humility is also putting others first. It resists the temptation to act or intend to view one’s own power, position, or reputation.
Fake humility seeks to gain approval and won’t give up; It pretends.
I read of a man that learned how to profit from his mistakes. Throughout his career he was willing to learn from his mistakes.
He was a man of great ambitions, however he was a man of humility, and because of this, he was able to see with greater moral clarity. Regardless of his decisions, he owned up to mistakes.
Real humility builds up; false humility tears down.
We are to look into the mirror of God’s word as a humble leader, we search out of the reflection from the mirror of God’s word.
The more accountability and responsibility a person has, the more humility is required.
If a person comes to me, and they say “God told them to do this thing for you.” I say okay, if God told them to do it, they depend on God and they are doing it for God and not man, right?
The rewards must come from God right? If your agenda and motive are wrong, your focus will be on man and it will always disappoint. These types of actions won’t last if they are doing it for some sort of reward.
For example; If someone is doing something for me, the motive is made manifest by God.
If the motive is false humility, you are trying to gain advantage, access or attain a position for some sort of personal benefit, and not God.
Manipulation and control are very devious ways to gain access for advancement of their own purpose. Manipulation and control have no place in a true selfless act.
People who carry and seek an agenda, try to manipulate the one served. These are actually there to serve their own benefit, attention, recognition, purpose and AGENDA.
I tell people, if God told you to do it, don’t expect me to ask. If God told you to do it, that is between you and him regardless of my position in the situation! Don’t expect me to run you down and ask anything, because you are doing it for HIM, not me.
I am only a servant as we all are, and we work for him regardless of the job he gives us to do.
We are accountable to HIM! May we all check our hearts and motives and respond accordingly. No more false humility, Amen?
“That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters. “For his letters,” say they, “are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.”
Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.
For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.
But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you. For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ: Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men’s labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,” 3 Corinthians 10:9-15 KJV.
In HIS Grace and Mercy,
~ Sherry Edwards Mackey
New Beginning Christian Ministries International 