Imitating Christ - Humiliating ourselves like Christ
Faustino de Jesús Zamora Vargas
SUMMARY: The Bible repeatedly emphasizes the importance of humility, and Jesus himself exemplified this characteristic. The world is often characterized by pride and arrogance, but Christians are called to imitate Christ's humility. The story of Miguel, a humble and selfless man, serves as an inspiring example of what it means to walk humbly with God. True humility involves obedience to God and a willingness to sacrifice one's own interests for the benefit of others. Despite the challenges that may arise from living a humble life, the rewards of humility are great, including wealth, honor, and life.
Of the good that God demands of his children we do only a little; we take only those advice from the bible that our finite mind perceives as necessity. The advice to walk humbly with God, to clothe yourself in humility is a message from the entire Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. But our beloved Jesus repeated it over and over again. To imitate Christ is to clothe oneself in humility and meekness: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, that I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Mt 11:29).
The world is haughty by nature. Pride and arrogance are attributes so common in people that when you meet a humble person it seems that you are talking to a being from another planet. I know one. His name is Miguel. His family abandoned him and he was left alone with the only company whom he said was his Savior. His house became from time to time a shelter for poor people and homeless itinerant elderly who entered it seeking bread and shelter and finally left preaching Christ. He gave his house to an association to build a temple there. They wanted to give him money, but He preferred to donate it and go live elsewhere. He visited his house, now converted into a church ... as a servant. He distributed a good portion of his belongings to the people who visited the church. His goodness has no limits.
Miguel can visit a couple of patients every day and be aware of all those who say they have problems. He was warned several times in his work for preaching the gospel, but God, in his grace and sovereignty, gave him the satisfaction of seeing the 6 people in his department converted to Christ. His apartment was christened "the church" and Miguel was mockingly nicknamed "Messiah." The story is much longer, but finally Miguel "was transferred" to another lower category work center "for needs" of his company. He continues to be warned and transferred, but Christ has given him the joy of founding, wherever he is sent and with astonishing humility and meekness, other “churches”. He lives humbly, spiritually and materially, with contagious complacency and joy. “He has declared to you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord demand of you, but only to practice justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God? " (Micah 6.8).
The Lord demands humility (from us). Jesus is not moved by euphoria, or external emotions if they do not come from the Spirit and from a deep brokenness that breaks the resistance and hardness of heart to start there, in the contrite heart (afflicted, repentant), his regenerating work of grace and salvation giving power to extend it to others out of love and fear of God, never out of overlapping personal interests. "Do not do anything out of selfishness (rivalry) or vainglory, but with a humble attitude each of you consider the other as more important than yourself, not each seeking your own interests, but rather the interests of others" ( Fil 2.3-4).
The sense of humiliation that Jesus demands, implies a high expression of obedience to everything that God demands. To humble oneself is not only to lower oneself to a less important condition, but to give God all our pride and arrogance so that He, in obedience to his word, transforms them into usefulness and virtue for the benefit of others. The Christian who truly puts his life and hope in Christ humbles himself, is obedient, and experiences his own death on the cross. The Lord says: “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.” (Proverbs 22.4) A simple reminder: the Lord always keeps his promises.
God bless you!
The world is haughty by nature. Pride and arrogance are attributes so common in people that when you meet a humble person it seems that you are talking to a being from another planet. I know one. His name is Miguel. His family abandoned him and he was left alone with the only company whom he said was his Savior. His house became from time to time a shelter for poor people and homeless itinerant elderly who entered it seeking bread and shelter and finally left preaching Christ. He gave his house to an association to build a temple there. They wanted to give him money, but He preferred to donate it and go live elsewhere. He visited his house, now converted into a church ... as a servant. He distributed a good portion of his belongings to the people who visited the church. His goodness has no limits.
Miguel can visit a couple of patients every day and be aware of all those who say they have problems. He was warned several times in his work for preaching the gospel, but God, in his grace and sovereignty, gave him the satisfaction of seeing the 6 people in his department converted to Christ. His apartment was christened "the church" and Miguel was mockingly nicknamed "Messiah." The story is much longer, but finally Miguel "was transferred" to another lower category work center "for needs" of his company. He continues to be warned and transferred, but Christ has given him the joy of founding, wherever he is sent and with astonishing humility and meekness, other “churches”. He lives humbly, spiritually and materially, with contagious complacency and joy. “He has declared to you, oh man, what is good. And what does the Lord demand of you, but only to practice justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God? " (Micah 6.8).
The Lord demands humility (from us). Jesus is not moved by euphoria, or external emotions if they do not come from the Spirit and from a deep brokenness that breaks the resistance and hardness of heart to start there, in the contrite heart (afflicted, repentant), his regenerating work of grace and salvation giving power to extend it to others out of love and fear of God, never out of overlapping personal interests. "Do not do anything out of selfishness (rivalry) or vainglory, but with a humble attitude each of you consider the other as more important than yourself, not each seeking your own interests, but rather the interests of others" ( Fil 2.3-4).
The sense of humiliation that Jesus demands, implies a high expression of obedience to everything that God demands. To humble oneself is not only to lower oneself to a less important condition, but to give God all our pride and arrogance so that He, in obedience to his word, transforms them into usefulness and virtue for the benefit of others. The Christian who truly puts his life and hope in Christ humbles himself, is obedient, and experiences his own death on the cross. The Lord says: “The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is wealth, honor, and life.” (Proverbs 22.4) A simple reminder: the Lord always keeps his promises.
God bless you!
