You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. (Psalms 18:27 NLT)
The Bible talks a lot about humility. God makes it clear over and over again that nothing about your “greatness” (or lack there of) is earning you salvation. Throughout the Bible, he chooses the most unlikely characters to do his work.
I love the parable Jesus uses to explain humility to his followers. One night at dinner, he noticed that everyone was clamoring to sit at the seat of honor. I’m sure they had varying reasons for thinking they were great. Some were probably rich, and they figured that made them important. Some were probably very wise, and they figured that made them important. Some were probably in positions of leadership, and they figured that made them important. Some had probably known Jesus for a while, and they figured that made them important. Each of them assigning some level of importance to them self that quite frankly didn’t matter to The Lord.
So when Jesus noticed this, he shared a parable that demonstrated how those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he’ll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You’re in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.’ Red-faced, you’ll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.
“When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about!
What I’m saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”
(Luke 14:7-11 MSG)
I know that I would much rather remain humble than end up being humbled by God!