“Biblical humility flows out of a person not with low self-esteem, but with high God esteem. This frees us to focus on building others up. This is the way Christ did it.”- Randy Frazee
“Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”- Philippians 2:5-7 (NIV)
Randy Frazee concludes Principle #7 of The Joy Challenge as he stresses that elevating others above yourself increases your joy. Despite the actions of other people. Because God bestows His favor on you when you approach life this way.
Above all, Randy counsels, when you meet people who struggle to elevate others above themselves, it almost always centers on the issue of identity. For such people fight to convince themselves that they are a somebody. However, and fortunately, the apostle Paul provides an eloquent and classy alternative.
Most significantly, Randy states, we have nothing left to prove. Hence, nothing anyone says or does alters the reality of who we are in Christ. So, we need not give detractors power over us. Because we understand that other people’s assessment of us doesn’t form the basis of our identity. Instead, only God’s assessment of us forms the basis of our worth.
Christians need not fight and claw to get their way. Rather, God calls us to walk humbly before Him and esteem others above ourselves.
In conclusion, Randy presents two challenges for you:
- Go through the entire day without talking about yourself or your situation. As the author underscores, that’s a lot tougher than it sounds.
- Find at least two occasions to say, I don’t know . . . what do you think? Quite appropriate, Randy quips, if you’re talking about the state of the economy, but the President never appointed you as secretary of the Treasury Department!
Today’s question: What Scriptures most help you with biblical humility that flows from high God esteem? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Experiential, positional – salvation”
