In Matthew 11:29, Jesus calls His followers to “…learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Consider how central the posture of humility toward others is in Jesus’ teaching. In John 13, following the last supper Jesus kneels to wash the feet of all the disciples, including Judas Iscariot, who Jesus knew would betray Him later that night. When He finishes, He tells them, “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (John 13:14-15).
Jesus is straightforward in saying that the Christian man must walk humbly with his brothers. It is not possible to view your brother through selfish and prideful eyes and to walk humbly with God at the same time. The inward posture of humility is universal to outward relationships; if the man has denied Self and pride, and has put on humility, you will see proof of that humility in his relationship toward God, his brothers, his family, neighbors, and strangers. In the same way, the posture of pride and Self is also universal in expression.
Walking humbly with God and with your brother will always happen together, as will loving God and loving your brother. We read from 1 John 4:20, “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” You are to walk humbly with God and your brother, loving your brother and God. This demonstration of perfect unity is the answer to Jesus’ high priestly prayer to God the Father in John 17:22-23, “The glory which You have given Me I have given to them, that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.”
Humility shows the soft, receptive good soil of the heart is ready and able to receive the seed of God’s word implanted. The seed then takes root and grows, bearing rich, bountiful fruit. Humility cultivates and prunes the fruit of transformation as we walk with God through life. To be a follower of Jesus is all-encompassing of one’s life and existence, and few will deny Self and surrender their pride. There are knowers of Jesus, which is not the same as being a follower of Jesus. Knowers of Jesus like to be informed, but are unwilling to be transformed. They refuse to deny Self and pride, and to take on the posture of humility. That is the difficulty Jesus spoke of in Matthew 7:13-14, when He said, ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.’”
The decision to deny Self and walk in humility may seem overwhelming, and in our own strength or ability, it’s impossible. But understand this; the posture of humility you take in recognizing God for who He is (your Creator), and in recognition of who you are (God’s creature), is what dethrones Self in your life. The posture of humility determines the outcome of denying Self. This is the narrow way that leads to life. Where pride and sin separate and isolate man from a relationship with His God and Creator, reconciliation through Jesus restores that relationship, bringing the kingdom of God within a man’s heart. Jesus taught us that, “Whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all” (Luke 18:17 ). Humility is the first threshold to cross in stepping into the kingdom of God. Learn from Jesus today! He truly is gentle and humble in heart. You will find that as you practice walking humbly with God, it is the most natural thing to walk humbly with your brother.
