Humble? Me? That Doesn't Sound Very Fun!

 Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too. You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.
~Philippians 2:3-5 

"BE LOUD, BE PROUD, AND BE LOUD SOME MORE!"  We have this idea blasted at us constantly.  We hear things like "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" which tells us that if we are annoying enough for the "right" reasons we get what we want.  I have heard children work this on their parents with the barrage of: "Mom.......Mom.......Mom........Mom........Mom.......Mom.......MOM......MOM.......Mom........MOM" and on and on until Mom has had enough and snaps back with "WHAT?"  

But look at what today's verses are telling us.  Did you see it?  Here it is in a nutshell: "IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!"   I can hear the shocked intake of breath you just had.  I had the same reaction when this became very clear to me.  Believe it or not, my presence on this earth is NOT about me!  It's about helping others.  Granted, some don't want to be helped so they can get their own life moving, some want to be "helped" by someone else providing for them, and that is just plain wrong!

We are here to look out for each other.  Imagine if we actually followed the example of Christ and put others first!  That means you are more important to me that I am to me.  Likewise, I am more important to you than you are important to you.  We'd have a LOT fewer disagreements and a lot more understanding of each other.

Thomas of Assisi is credited with saying, "PREACH the Gospel!  And it you must...use words."  Meaning we are to live in such a way that the Gospel is so apparent in how we deal with others that no one needs to wonder if we are followers of Christ.  Jesus was humble enough to do the one task at the Last Supper that not one of His Disciples would do.  Jesus took on the role of a servant and washed every one of their nasty feet.

Are we too proud?  Believe it or not, there are those who are VERY proud to be "humble."  The picture of some of our politicians seeking public acclaim by washing the feet of someone.  This is contrived and is false humility!  The truly humble need not draw attention to themselves or their humble actions.  Their actions should speak for them.