Red Letter Christians – Part Five – Humility and Servanthood
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https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2013%3A1-17&version=NLV
Jesus taught the value of humility and servanthood. He turned worldly notions of greatness upside down by stating, “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant” (Matthew 20:26). He also warned us against the sin of pride and the need for spiritual humility.
Head/Mind – Helpful Information
Proverbs 16:18 says, “Pride comes before a fall.” And Paul says, in 1 Corinthians 10:12, “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall.” The issue is the sin of pride. Unfortunately, our use of the word pride has acquired many different connotations, some of which are very positive.
Pride can mean valuing yourself and seeing yourself as a person of worth. No one would want to argue against that. It is healthy to have confidence and a sense of direction. What the Bible is warning us of is what might better be called arrogance. Confidence and sense of self-worth are healthy, while arrogance is dangerous. How can we tell the difference?
To act from a position of confidence is to strive to be the best version of yourself. To act from a position of arrogance is to seek to show that others are inferior. To act from a position of confidence is to appreciate your strengths while being willing to acknowledge your weaknesses. It is also to be willing to allow others to shine and flourish in their own lane.
Arrogance, which is just the other side of having low self-esteem, is about trying to measure your worth by comparing yourself to others. Confidence and self-worth come from finding your value in relation to God.
An arrogant person will have trouble acknowledging others’ gifts and their own limitations. They are the person who watches a sport they have never seen at the Olympics and who then says to the people around them, “Hold my drink.” They are thinking, “I’ve got this,” while everyone else is saying, “Oh no! Not again!”
Heart – Humility is not precisely the opposite of Arrogance.
Humility is not precisely the opposite of arrogance, but it is the antidote. Strangely, arrogance and low self-worth are really the same problem. Both come from thinking that one’s worth is measured by how one compares to others. But both are also caused by thinking too much of and about oneself.
Notice that Jesus was one of the most confident people. He knew his self-worth. But he was neither arrogant nor a groveling worm. He was strong and self-aware, while leaving room for others. Here is how Paul talks about it in Philippians 2:
Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Instead, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.
In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature[a] God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
Rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature[b] of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!
Therefore, God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
The kind of strength and self-worth we see in Jesus has a comfortable, self-forgetful quality. Jesus is not measuring himself against others. He neither pushes everyone else off the stage nor feels threatened by them.
Hands –
One who finds this balance can serve others without feeling inferior to those they serve. They can do good things for others and add value to their lives without feeling diminished. They can take the lowest role in the organization without feeling like they have lost their dignity.
They are the kind of leaders who are willing to sweep floors, hold babies, and spend time with the lowest person in their organization, without any thought that this disqualifies them from being with the highest people in their organization.
Consider someone like Tim Tebow, the former NFL player and current philanthropist. Tebow has a strong sense of identity and confidence in who he is, but he’s known for using his platform not for self-promotion but to uplift others. Through the Tim Tebow Foundation, he organizes events like “Night to Shine,” a prom night experience for people with special needs. This reflects biblical humility: he’s secure in his identity yet focuses on serving others, not for personal gain but out of genuine care.
Or, take Dolly Parton and her approach to philanthropy and public life.
Dolly is a highly accomplished entertainer with a confident sense of self-worth, yet she consistently demonstrates self-forgetfulness and a willingness to serve others. For example:
- Imagination Library: She founded this program to provide free books to children, fostering literacy and opportunity. Despite its massive success (having distributed millions of books worldwide), she downplays her role, focusing instead on the children benefiting from it.
- COVID-19 Research: Dolly donated $1 million to fund research for the Moderna vaccine but declined to take the spotlight, emphasizing the importance of helping others rather than receiving praise.
Her actions reflect humility because, despite her fame and wealth, she uses her resources and influence to serve others without seeking recognition. This shows that true humility isn’t about diminishing your accomplishments but about leveraging your strengths to lift others up. It’s an example of how a confident person with a strong sense of self-worth can quietly and powerfully serve.
Humility doesn’t mean thinking less of oneself but rather thinking of oneself less, as C.S. Lewis famously said. It’s the ability to put others first because of an inner confidence and strength grounded in a clear understanding of one’s God-given value.