The Highway of Humility

Scripture Reading: Luke 9:46-48

Today's Treasure: "An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, 'Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest' " (Luke 9:46-48).

Luke 9:46-48 gives an account of Christ's disciples arguing about which of them would be the greatest. While they argued privately, Christ knew their thoughts. We may never have argued with someone openly about our greatness, but Christ knows our thoughts, and the attitudes that inhabit them. Our society thrives on ambition, and if we're not extremely discerning, we bring our ambitions into the church. Our biggest hindrance to greatness may be the desire to be great. Don't miss the contrast of Christ and His disciples at this point in His earthly tenure.

Christ was on the road to greatness, but His road would take Him through betrayal, rejection, suffering, and death. Philippians 2:6-8 tells us that Jesus "did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant" and "humbled himself" becoming "obedient to death—even death on a cross!"

Hebrews 12:2-3 urges us not to grow weary and lose heart because Jesus "endured the cross, scorning its shame" for the joy set before Him. Hebrews 2:9-10 makes the remarkable statements that Jesus "tasted death" on our behalf and says it was fitting for God to "make the author of [our] salvation perfect through suffering."

Don't be confused by the idea that the author of our salvation became perfect through suffering. Christ was always perfect in terms of sinlessness. The word perfect in this verse is teleioo, meaning "to complete, make perfect by reaching the intended goal." Christ reached the goal (our salvation and His exaltation) through suffering. His road to greatness was a rocky one. A painful one. He knew it in advance, and yet He set His face resolutely toward the goal and accomplished it. Simply put, we were worth it to Him.

No matter how resistant we may be to the call, our road to true greatness is also the highway of humility. At times it too will involve suffering, rejection, betrayal, and, yes, even death—to self. The question becomes, "Is He worth it to us?"

Without a doubt, one of the primary works God has sought to accomplish in me is to help me get over myself. The process has been excruciating and will no doubt be lifelong, but I have never been more thankful for any work in my life. I know no other way to say it: God finally got me to a place where I made myself sick. Oh, I still get plenty of glances at my self-centeredness, but never without a good wave of nausea. God and I now have a term for it in our prayer time. Don't expect something deeply intellectual or theological. We just call it my "self-stuff." Almost every day I ask God to help me address any active self-stuff and nail it to the cross. I literally name everything He brings to mind and look it straight in the face even if it makes me cry.

The following terms fall under the category of self-stuff. Give them a good look: self-exaltation, self-protection, self-righteousness, self-will, self-loathing, self-worship, self-serving, self-promotion, self-indulgence, self-absorption, self-delusion, self-pity, self-sufficiency. Did I leave anything out? Is that some stuff, or what? If you think of any others, add them to my list. Self, self, self! May it be enough to make a self sick! Here's the big lie: Satan has convinced us that laying down our self-stuff is some huge sacrifice. Oh, beloved, what deception! Our self-stuff is what makes us most miserable! What an albatross our self-absorption is.

I cannot stress strongly enough that getting over the self-stuff is a daily challenge. As long as we inhabit this tent of flesh, it will rise up in us. We must choose to "deny [ourselves] and take up [our] cross daily" (Luke 9:23). The challenge demands total honesty before God. Remember, God never convicts to condemn us. He wants to liberate us. Oh, God, so deal with self in each of us that when You read our thoughts You will find stronger and stronger evidences of Your own.

Lord, thank You for revealing "self-stuff" as the source of so much of my distress. Please help me identify it in my life each day. I look forward to running freely after throwing off this heavy cloak. Thank You for the priceless, unfathomable sacrifice You made when You suffered and died on the cross. Help me not to resist You when You lead me into suffering, rejection, betrayal, and self-denial to produce true greatness. You have already gone there before me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Adapted from Jesus the One and Only, by Beth Moore, pages 185-187. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2002. Used by permission.