WISDOM FOR LIVING DAILY DEVOTIONAL
NOVEMBER 15, 2024
TOPIC: HUMILITY, HUMILIATION, AND HONOUR
BY T. O. BANSO
“Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor” (Proverbs 18:12 Holman Christian Standard Bible).
Humility is a virtue of the kingdom of God; pride is not. The natural man is proud though he does not easily admit it. We often accuse others of pride, but that’s the pot calling the kettle black. God requires humility from everyone whether in the church or society. Leaders must lead with humility and followers must serve with humility.
Pride will hinder you from fulfilling God’s purpose for your life. To rise to the top, you need humility, and to remain at the top, you need more humility. Put on the garment of humility and never remove it.
Note these three words: humility, humiliation, and honour. Humility is from the Latin word humilitas, meaning “lowness” while humiliation comes from the Latin word humiliare, meaning “to humble.” Humility and humiliation are not the same. According to the Dictionary of Bible Themes, humility is “An attitude of lowliness and obedience, grounded in the recognition of one’s status before God as his creatures.” The Topical Bible says it is “The state or quality of being humble; freedom from pride and arrogance; lowliness of mind; a modest estimate of one’s own worth.” In contrast, humiliation is “The act of being put to shame, often in a public manner” (Dictionary of Bible Themes).
Nobody likes to be humiliated or put to shame, especially publicly, but humiliation often tests people’s humility. Humility is proven by how someone handles humiliation. There is no humility without humiliation. Those walking in true humility don’t let humiliation affect them negatively. They don’t behave like humiliated people Those who have experienced God’s dealings will endure humiliation. Some people may humiliate them, but they don’t take it to heart. They endure humiliation. David said, “For I endure insults for your sake; humiliation is written all over my face” (Psalm 69:7 New Living Translation).
However, those who are not humble or truly humble will reject humiliation. They will react in the flesh. They will assert themselves rather than be ridiculed, saying humility is not stupidity.
When you are humble some people will humiliate you because they think they are better than you or you are a nobody. While humiliation is wrong, God uses it to build our character. But unknown to those mistreating you, they are failing God’s test about relating to others in love. If you do not react to humiliation in the flesh, you have won and your humiliators have lost. God will honour you, for the Bible says humility comes before honour (Proverbs 15:33; 18:12). But before honour comes humiliation.
If you have failed the humility test in the past, don’t give up. Cooperate with the Holy Spirit to bear humility listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23. Some Bible translations use gentleness instead of humility. May God grant you the grace to stay humble in the face of humiliation. Humility comes before honour, and honour comes after humiliation.
The Bible says about Jesus Christ: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-11 New King James Version). Note the phrase “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Which mind? The mind of humility.
Jesus humbled Himself up to the point of dying on the cross. Did you notice that in this passage, Jesus was not honoured until He was first humiliated, including dying on the cross, and He cooperated with His humiliators? Honour always awaits those humiliated while they are humble.
Acts 8:32-33 says, “He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so He opened not His mouth. In His humiliation His justice was taken away, and who will declare His generation? For His life is taken from the earth” (New King James Version). Note the phrase “In His humiliation His justice was taken away.” Jesus humbled himself and despite being led like a sheep to the slaughter and as a lamb before its shearers, he didn’t open his mouth. In other words, Jesus was denied justice and did not protest.
God knows how to deliver the humble from humiliation. There’s an end to such humiliation. And for the humiliators, there is an end. They shall not continue to humiliate the humble. After His humiliation, Jesus was given the honour that never existed before: God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every name.
As Paul says in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. His mindset was humility. The Amplified Bible renders Philippians 2:5 thus: “Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility].” You must walk in selfless humility which could attract humiliation. But honour will come to you from God. Be humble so that you will not be humbled. Remember that humiliation means “The act of being put to shame, often in a public manner” (Dictionary of Bible Themes). Those who don’t humble themselves will be humbled – humiliated.
What to do
1. Submit yourself to God. James 4:7a says, “So submit to [the authority of] God” (Amplified Bible). Accept His lordship over you and obey Him. Make God number one in your life and do whatever He says. If you submit to God, it will be easy for you to walk humbly towards man.
2. Put others first. The natural man cannot do this. It is only possible with the help of the Holy Spirit because the natural man is selfish or self-centred. If you want God to honour you, you must put others first in honour. Philippians 2:3 says, “Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves” (English Standard Version). Verse 4 says each person should not look only to his interests, but also to the interests of others. Put others first. “Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor” (1 Corinthians 10:24 English Standard Version). This is the kind of love that God demands from His children.
3. Avoid pride in your relationship with others. Relate with others in humility. Some people will abuse your humility but don’t react in the flesh – a sinful way. Obey the Word of God and let God fight for you. Those who respond to the humility of others with pride fail God’s test. They are not wise. If someone relates to you humbly, don’t mistake it for inferiority. After humility comes honour. “Pride leads to destruction; humility leads to honor” (Proverbs 18:12 Contemporary English Version). Holman Christian Standard Bible says, “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.”
Be humble, not proud. 1 Peter 5:6 says you should humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand, so that He may lift you in due time. Honour or promotion will follow humility. Part of the character of the new man you must cultivate as a child of God is humility, as the Bible says in Colossians 3:12. God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). You need it.
4. Don’t wait till you are humbled before you are humble. There is a difference between being humble and being humbled – abased, put down, or brought low. Many proud people only learn humility through humiliation. This could be described as forced humility. Learn humility from the Word of God, not through humiliation. This type of humiliation is not the type of mistreatment that humble people suffer.
Learn humility from God’s word by choice. Practice voluntary humility. “So people will be brought low and everyone humbled, the eyes of the arrogant humbled” (Isaiah 5:15 New International Version). The latter part of Isaiah 10:33 says those of high stature will be hewn down, and the haughty, arrogant, or proud will be humbled. Don’t wait till you are humbled. Matthew 23:12 says those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
5. Believe that all things will work together for your good. This is faith in God. God is not ignorant of what you are going through. He will work everything, including your humiliation, together for your good. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28 New King James Version). God will perform what He has appointed and planned for you (Job 23:14a).
6. Love and pray for those who mistreat you. Don’t retaliate or resist them. The natural man cannot do this. It is the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Matthew 5:43-45 New King James Version).
7. Be patient and expect honour. Patience helps you not to act or react wrongly. Pursue patience (1 Timothy 6:11). You will receive the promise of honour from God. “For you have need of patience, that, after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise” (Hebrews 10:36 King James Version). The promise, in the context of this devotional, is honour. It will surely come but you need patience. “But these things I plan won’t happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, do not despair, for these things will surely come to pass. Just be patient! They will not be overdue a single day” (Habakkuk 2:3 The Living Bible).
If you endure humiliation, be patient and expect honour from God. I am talking about the humiliation someone suffers because of sin. “But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter” (1 Peter 4:15-16 New King James Version). Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you (James 4:10).
8. Learn lessons from your experience. Learn lessons from what you’ve experienced and don’t humiliate anyone. Someone can hate mistreatment and later mistreat others. Treat others with love (Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31; Romans 13:8; 12:10; John 13:34-35; 1 John 4:8, 11; 1 Peter 4:8; Luke 6:35; Colossians 3:14).
Conclusion: Walk in humility and endure the humiliation that may come in the process. Trust in God to give you justice. In His time, He will deal with your humiliators and honour you. Don’t let humiliation terminate your walk of humility. Don’t yield to the flesh. After you have suffered a little while, God will make you perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you (1 Peter 5:10).
TAKE ACTION!
If you are not born again, you need to give your life to Jesus now. Take the following steps: *Admit that you are a sinner, and cannot save yourself, and repent of your sins. *Confess Jesus as your Lord and Saviour. *Renounce your past way of life – your relationship with the devil and his works. *Invite Jesus into your life. *As a mark of seriousness to mature in the faith, start attending a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church. There they will teach you how to grow in the Kingdom of God.
Kindly say this prayer now: O Lord God, I come unto You today. I know I am a sinner, and I cannot save myself. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross to save me and God raised Him on the third day. I repent of my sins and confess Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I surrender my life to Jesus now and invite Him into my heart. By this prayer, I know I am saved. Thank You, Jesus, for saving me and making me a child of God.
I believe you have said this prayer from your heart. Congratulations! You must join a Bible-believing, Bible-teaching, and Bible-practising church where they will teach you how to live your new life in Christ Jesus. I pray that you flourish like a palm tree and grow like a cedar of Lebanon. May you grow into Christ in all things and become all God wants you to be. I will be glad to hear from you. The Lord be with you.
PRAYER POINTS: Holy Spirit, help me to walk in humility, not pride. Let me not fail the humility test when I suffer humiliation. Help me to love those who humiliate me, pray for them, and not seek revenge.
(For over 900 in-depth and powerful messages by T. O. Banso, visit www.cedarministry.org).
T. O. Banso is the President of Cedar Ministry International, Abuja, Nigeria.
Phone No: +2348155744752, +2348033113523
WhatsApp No: +2349081295947
Email: cedarministryintl@yahoo.com,
cedarministryng@gmail.com
Website: www.cedarministry.org
