PARSONS: Well, Raul, that is probably one of the most important questions that we can ask
as Christians. And the reason I say that is that I believe that humility is that characteristic that
is really foundational, and it really sums up
all of the Christian characteristics that we see in the Bible; the fruit of the Spirit,
it's defined in humility. When Paul tells us in Philippians 2 to look to Christ and His model,
it's all about humility. You know, too often we jump ahead to the kenosis passage, that
kenotic hymn of describing Jesus. Well, we need to focus on that, but Paul begins with focusing
on us and how we need to model our lives and our minds and hearts after Christ. And the model,
the example in the kenosis passage in Philippians 2 is the humility of Christ. And I think it is
actually one of the most disregarded and forgotten characteristics in our day. The problem in talking
about humility even now is that even talking about it, people think, "Well, that's not very humble."
And the reality of it is that I know I am not humble. In fact, I feel like I'm the most
prideful unhumble person around. Every day, I pray for humility.
But I think what Raul is asking, is something a lot of Christians don't even ask.
We need to first recognize that humility is something we ought
to strive for, but the problem with humility is that once you say it, it vanishes, it disappears.
And the problem with humility is that once you think you've attained it or once you think you've
arrived at it, it's just the opposite. It's like being wise in your own eyes.
We never arrive at humility, and humility is not something that
you can even really see in yourself; it's something only others can see.
And I would say, even in one sense, the more you actually grow in humility, the more you actually
grow in your recognition of your own pride, and so you don't feel like you're growing in humility.
I think what is also difficult is that we have a wrong view of humility.
I think we have a view of humility of someone who sort of doesn't say anything,
who is never bold, who never speaks the truth, who is sort of a pushover,
sort of a nice guy that never takes a stand, who doesn't stand his ground. That's not the picture
of Christ. It's not the picture of Paul. And Paul is not Christ and Paul was sinful too, but
what we need to understand is that Jesus stood His ground and Jesus was bold and Jesus was clear
and Jesus spoke the truth. He got in people's faces. He declared what they needed to hear.
He chastised. He rebuked. And that's what the Bible tells us to do, that we have to do that,
but that's actually ... and here is what a lot of people don't understand, especially in the world.
It takes a great deal of humility to rebuke and to correct and to exhort. It takes a great
deal of humility to come to a brother and say, "Brother, I love you and I'm worried about you,
and I think you might be in sin and you don't realize it." That is hard and that takes humility.
Humility isn't easy and humility is not just saying nothing. In fact,
I would say that is actually more pride than it is humility. Real humility is not an act,
you can't play act, that you can't be an actor. It's not just, as many have said over the years,
it's not just trying to think less of ourselves. I say, "Woe is me. I am not a good person. I'm
awful." It's just thinking of yourself less. It's getting over yourself and trying to put
others first. One of the things I try to do, and I know it's going to sound silly,
but one of the things I try to do, especially when I find myself annoyed either in a store
or on the road, I'm upset with someone, someone has issues and they are being annoying, the way
they are driving or the way they are acting, one of the things I try to do wherever I am
is I try to just look at people, homeless people, people on the road that are annoying me,
clerks, people in the stores, I just try to look at them and say, "I am no better than they are.
In and of myself, I am no better than they are."
I would be wandering and lost and wayward if it were not for God finding me and seeking me
and keeping me. I am no better than that person or that person or that person,
no matter how much what I think of them. And I say that about people I disagree with.
I say that about people that I want to tend to despise,
people I vote against. I have to remember that it's only by the grace of God that I am what I am.
Humility is something that we have to constantly pursue and recognize that we never arrive at ever.
It's not just wanting humility; it is the constant and diligent pursuit of humility and praying for
humility. And when anyone asks you "What can I pray for?" say, "Please pray for my humility.
Pray for my humility, pray for my wisdom, and pray that God would preserve me to the end." It's one
of my prayers that I ask for people when they ask, "What can I pray for?" "Pray for my family
and pray that God would keep me, God would humble me, that God would give me wisdom,
and that God preserve would preserve me to the end."
BINGHAM: It's interesting the advice to pray for humility because it takes humility to pray for
it. It's the proud man that thinks that he is okay. And prayer in and of itself is an act of
humbling yourself before God, recognizing you are dependent and you need His help in life.
PARSONS: Yeah, exactly! And we've talked about this before, Nathan, and
it is interesting, and I want to say this, it's going to sound a little strange maybe,
sometimes we can pridefully pray for humility, sometimes
we can know that humility is that which is desirable and pray for it with a motive of pride.
And what I would say to my brothers and sisters in the faith is that when you feel that motive in
your heart that may not be completely pure and right, pray even for that. Say, "Lord,
if my motives are not right in asking for this, please even forgive my motives.
Please even forgive my motive that may not be right in praying for this."
Because we don't always understand our motives, we don't always understand
why we're praying for what we're praying for. And we sometimes have to pray that God would
correct and change and forgive us even for our motives that we don't know if they are right.