It is easy to spot arrogance. But humility is a bit more elusive. I may say I am humble, but in all honesty, in my stating this I am a bit proud that I realize I am humble. Can you relate?
A great picture of humility is found in Luke 7:1-10 where a rather powerful official dispatches a servant to Jesus to ask Jesus to heal one of his staff.
At first this seems logical, this powerful leader, a Centurion, has servants at his beckon and call to carry out his orders and perform tasks for him. But that is not the reason the Centurion sent his servant.
In verse 6 we learn that the Centurion sends friends to stop Jesus before he gets to his home because he does not feel worthy to have Jesus even enter in his house. And on top of that he says that he sent his servant to ask for this favor because he does not even consider himself worthy to come to Jesus himself.
Think of it. In effect this powerful man actually thinks of himself below his servant in respect to Jesus. His servant can talk directly to Jesus, but not him! He has his friends tell Jesus that he sent them because: “I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you”.
Jesus uses this teachable moment to say to the crowd in the street following him: “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel”. And he heals the servant.
This Centurion’s sense of unworthiness, his realization of who he was in comparison to Jesus was an eyeopener to me this week. I realized that my assurance of faith kind of led me to less humility.
The example of this powerful Centurion’s humility caused me to examine myself and appreciate Jesus more knowing how approachable he has made himself to me and all humanity.
