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If we look back over the life of Joshua we see threaded through his life is an understanding of true humility. At the age of 110, after successfully winning the battles and holding the gains, he gives the people this challenge:
Joshua 24:14
Now therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!
Joshua 24:15
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Listen now
Humility has a sense of security from a relationship with God. - Humility is God's picture of who you are.
Joshua 1:8
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Humility is not denying the gifting you have but admitting that the gifting you have is from God and comes through you and not from you.
“Humility takes enormous amounts of courage and self-confidence. It takes a personal security. In fact, insecure people cannot be humble. They have a very hard time being humble. Insecurity produces the exact opposite in our lives. It produces pride. Whenever you find somebody who is arrogant, prideful, boastful, egotistical or self-concerned, you can know that they are masking deep insecurity. Pride is always a cover-up for insecurity. When you see the person who acts like he runs the world, he has it all together, he knows enough, inside he or she is masking deep insecurity. Insecurity causes us to brag. Insecurity causes us to boast. Insecurity causes us to exaggerate. It causes us to worry about what other people think of us. It is insecurity that causes us to be hypercritical and judgmental of other people. So rather than pride being a matter of confidence, humility – the exact opposite – is a matter of confidence. Jesus was able to be humble because He knew exactly who He was.” Rick Warren
- Humility gives the trophies back to God.
1 Corinthians 15:10
But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
- Humility is thinking of others and acting in their best interest.
Philippians 2:3-8 (Message)
“Don't push your way to the front... Put yourself aside, and help others get ahead. Don't be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand. Think of yourselves the way Jesus thought of himself. He was God ... but He took on the status of a slave... an incredibly humbling process. He didn't claim special privileges. Instead, He lived a selfless, obedient life ...”
- Humility lets others help.
Humility focuses on doing God’s will.
Matthew 11:29
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” Humility is a daily choice that leads to promotion.
For 45 years Joshua had served Moses and learned from him.
Numbers 12:3
Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth. 1 Peter 5:5-7
Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Humility leaves a legacy.
Joshua 24:31
Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua, who had known all the works of the Lord which He had done for Israel. |
