Date: September 28, 2008
Scripture: Philippians 2:1-13
Sermon: Getting a Handle on Humility
Pastor: Rev. Kim Wells
Cartoons sometimes show a little devil on one shoulder of a character enticing the person to do something bad, and then an angel on the other shoulder reminding the person to do what is right. But often our choices are not exactly between good and bad, right and wrong. I imagine a little figure in me that wants to control me. This tyrant also expects me to look out for myself. Afterall, no one else will. Look out for number one. Keep an eye out for anyone trying to take advantage of me. Prove myself so that others will not mess with me and will know that I am competent. This tyrant wants me to get credit for what I do. Expect to be thanked and appreciated. This tyrant coaches me to make sure that others know when I am right and they are wrong. It advises me to parade my superiority. This tyrant is competitive and wants me to keep ahead of others, even if it means putting them down.
This tyrant also expects me to be successful and well-liked. Keep up with society’s expectations and exceed the expectations of others. Pleasing family, pleasing society, pleasing coworkers, pleasing friends.
It’s a hard life, being ruled by that tyrant. And we each have a force like that inside us. Trying to control us. And it is cultivated in many ways in our culture. Look out for yourself. Pamper yourself – you deserve it. Don’t let anyone take advantage of you. Make sure you are doing your best, proving yourself, and being properly acknowledged and rewarded – whether it be in school or in the workplace or in the family or in a volunteer organization.
It is hard to please this tyrant. You have to watch your back. And your front. Keep things in line. Live defensively. Stay in control. Keep everyone else in their place. But there is another way.
In the early Christian church, once Christianity became mainstream religion, it became imperial – associated with political power and the agenda of the state and the values of Roman society. Christianity lost much of its initial unique, counter cultural identity. This led to the movement of many Christians out to the desert to live in monastic communities and isolated communities that were interested in maintaining the heart of the Christian way of life, a way of compassion, mercy and service.
From the wisdom of those desert Christians, comes this story:
Abba Anthony said, “I saw the snares that the enemy spread out over the world and I said groaning, ‘What can get through from such snares?’ Then I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Humility.’”
[Quoted in “Gentle and Humble of Heart,” by Michael E. Williams, Weavings, May/June 2000]
Now how is it that humility can free us from the snares of the messages of society, others, and ourselves that keep us bound and struggling? The messages to keep up. To measure up.
The word humility comes from the Latin word humilis, with the root humus, not the Middle Eastern chick pea spread, but humus as in fertilizer, earth, ground. So to be humble is to be down to earth. And when you are down to earth, there is not very far to fall. So, you don’t have to keep yourself up on that pedestal, afraid of the fall.
Then we are freed to be in intimate, right relationship with ourselves, others, and God. Let’s take a moment to explore each of these relationships.
When we seek humility, we dethrone that tyrant of self centeredness. Then we can look at ourselves honestly. We can see our strengths and weaknesses. We can be self aware without fear. And we can accept ourselves as the human beings we are. To be human is to be imperfect. To make mistakes. And to have gifts and skills and talents to share. Every human being is like that. When we bring ourselves down to earth, we can see and fully appreciate ourselves as we are. We don’t need to put on airs with ourselves or others. We don’t need to maintain a mask of pretenses. We can be honest about who we are. And know that we are loved by God as we are.
When we pursue humility, we find that it affects our relationships with others. Down to earth, gentle with ourselves, we learn to be more accepting of others. We expect others to have strengths and weaknesses as we do. We expect others to be imperfect and make mistakes. When we cultivate humility, we don’t have to prove ourselves or maintain our position over others, or try to be better than others. So, we might find that our friendships deepen. That our relationships become more intimate. We are no longer protecting ourselves and holding ourselves back, and others don’t feel judged by us. And so they feel more free to be themselves. We will no longer be driven by the desire to control others and get them to do what we want. Humility fosters community and appreciation for others. It fosters deeper relationships with family, friends, and our sisters and brothers in the church.
When we pursue humility, we find ourselves more aware and sensitive to God’s presence in our lives and in the world. Instead of seeing only ourselves and looking out for our own interests, we see God’s hand at work. We sense God’s presence in us, because we are not filled with our own self centeredness.
Now it is all well and good to see the positive side of humility, but how do we pursue this humility? It’s nice to say conceptually that we want to be humble. But how do we go about it? How do we dethrone the tyrant on self centeredness and pride and control that can hold sway over us?
Here the writer of Philippians helps us. “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. . . look not to your own interests but to the interests of others.” [Philippians 2:3-4] The sure cure for pride and the tyranny of looking out for number one, is humility. And we can pursue humility, not as some philosophical ideal, but concretely, but putting others first, and looking for the good in others.
The writer of the letter to the Philippians is concerned about the harmony and unity in that faith community. Evidently, there are competing leaders and competing agendas. People are fighting to stay on top, as the one with the most insight, the one with correct beliefs, the one with the more important spiritual gifts, etc. See, they, too, are being driven by those tyrants of self-centeredness. Stay on top. Don’t let anyone get past you. Maintain your position. We’ve heard those voices.
And the writer proceeds to tell the people in the church what will diffuse this destructive spirit. Consciously choose to focus on the interests, the needs, the well being of others. This is what can help us to depose the tyrant of self centeredness so that we can relish the wholeness of humility.
Now some of us have been taught that humility is pathetic, weak, and servile. That was the attitude in the ancient world of the first century. Humility was not a virtue in the Greco Roman world. But if we look closer, we can see that humility has a strength all its own. Moses laid aside his self interest, his desires and hopes that he would lead a quiet shepherding life in the provinces. He went back to Egypt to do God’s bidding and stand up to Pharaoh. Moses ended up leading his band of slaves out from under the control of the most powerful ruler on earth at the time. That’s hardly weak and pathetic and servile. Yet, it is humble, because Moses was not doing his own bidding, but the bidding of God on behalf of those who were oppressed. That’s where God’s strength is revealed.
Jesus was completely humble. He was not at all ruled by the tyrant of self interest. We see this in the story of the temptation in the wilderness and in his willingness to be subject to the authorities of his day that resulted in his crucifixion. We see it in his eating with the lowly and the poor. Washing the feet of his disciples. Healing those who were lame, outcast, and dirty. Jesus was completely filled with God, and ruled by God’s will, not the tyrant of self interest. And he continues to influence the lives of millions of followers and to impact the world today. That is hardly pathetic weakness.
Mahatma Gandhi is remembered for his simple, humble ways. Wearing simple clothing, eating basic food. Living as a poor person. In 1931, Gandhi went to visit Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Italy. At that time, Gandhi had a goat that he took around with him. Mussolini’s children saw this poorly dressed man and his goat and laughed. They were reprimanded by their father: “That man and his goat are shaking the British empire.” [The Little Brown Book of Anecdotes, edited by Clifton Fadiman, page 230]
Humility is not weak and servile. Humility deposes the tyrant of self will. We are no longer controlled by our own desires and pride and fickle interests, which can never be satisfied. We no longer have to be in control of things. We don’t have to prove ourselves. We don’t have to maintain our superiority. We don’t have to pander for praise. Through humility, we wrest ourselves from the tyrant that tells us to look out for number one, and keep everything under control. When we embrace humility, we dethrone that tyrant. We are free. We become agents available to be used by God to embody love in the world.
We will find that when we pursue humility, by investing ourselves in the interests of others, we find the sense of purpose, and fulfillment that truly satisfy. We don’t become no one, we are not negated or erased by humility. Humility fills our lives with new power and purpose. We find that God wants to use us for far greater purposes. Humility frees us to be part of God’s hopes and dreams for us and our world. We become part of something so much bigger than just ourselves.
But it can’t happen when self interest controls us. We must stay on the look out for that tyrant, and invest ourselves not in judging others but in investing in the interests of others. Then we become so much more than we were. Because humble, down to earth, we no longer live in fear of falling or being put down. We are more secure and can take bigger risks.
Dag Hammarskjold, former Secretary General of the United Nations penned these lines:
Thou takest the pen – and the lines dance.
Thou takest the flute – and the notes shimmer.
Thou takest the brush – and the colors sing.
So all things have meaning and beauty in that space beyond time where Thou art.
How, then, can I hold back anything from Thee?
This is the life of humility. Dethroning the tyrant of self interest and control. Living in ways that do not take advantage of others. Living that is not at the expense of the well being of others. Investing in others. Looking out for the interests of others. Seeking the greatness of others. Placing ourselves, our skills, our strengths, our abilities, and our weakness, in the hands of God. Trusting God to use even us fulfill God’s designs and dreams for this world.
Amen.
A reasonable effort has been made to appropriately cite materials referenced in this sermon. For additional information, please contact Lakewood United Church of Christ.
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