Copyright 2019 Theresa Harvard Johnson
My Apostle changed my view of humility through several sit down meetings and a couple of sermons a few short years ago. Before that encounter, I had viewed humility as a lowering of myself… almost to the point of fading into the background like light at sunset.
I thought it meant letting other people shine by dimming my light or even not letting light shine on me. I felt like a humped-back Pharisee – a phrase used in Hebrew culture to describe someone who goes to extremes to “outwardly act humble” for the purpose of being seen. I wrote about them in my book, The Scribal Anointing, in 2007.
These cats would literally walk through town in their heavy robes “bent over” to demonstrate a posture of being humble. Seriously. This was a thing back then! While many believers do not dawn the robes today and bend themselves over, they definitely take on the posture of “false” humility…. believing outward action could ever demonstrate humility.
My Apostle said this to me today: “Theresa, humility is not lowering yourself or pushing who you are in the background to make room for others! Real humility is unapologetically being who you really are in Christ while encouraging and not being afraid to let other people be who they are!”
Humility does not mean insignificance. It does not mean to go so low you are not seen.
It does not mean we need to abdicate our authority.
It does not mean we need to see one another (esp. self) less than.
It does not mean we push sameness.
This broke me! Why? Because most of my life, I would put out my light so others could shine.
I actually thought “being authentically myself”…. was pride because it always drew attention and caused me to stand out. So I shut it down as an “act of humility” based on how I was raised, taught and what I falsely believed!
In Phil 2:5-9 Christ states: “5 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 BECOMING OBEDIENT TO DEATH – EVEN ON THE CROSS! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name…
Humility actually says:
I am like Christ, but not a god.
I am a servant, and my role in to be everything Christ ordained me to be so I can SERVE him and serve others.
I must be the best bold me possible so I can contribute to helping others rise and become the best them “in Christ” they can be.
I understand that we are “all like God” learning to access the fruit of our sonship and make Him known.
I understand that the success of the Kingdom is dependent on me being fully who I was created to be AND YOU being fully who you were created to be.
I understand that true light comes from ALL SONS SHINING together with NO ONE dimming their light!
I understand that there is a mutuality in our joint service in the Kingdom where TRUE HUMILITY brings forth the koinonia of 1 Cor 12.
I am like Christ in his “response” to His diety in the earth.
Not only am I to NOT think higher of myself than I should, but it is also a sin TO THINK LOWER IF MYSELF THAN I SHOULD!
Scribes especially need true humility! Why? Because it’s evil nemesis – false humility – is an ancient stronghold that easily besets them… dragging out a pattern that wreaked pure havoc in the scribal realm of the scriptures.
False humility is nothing but another form of pride disguised. It is HUMAN effort to be humble… not a posture of the contrite heart.
When REAL humility presents itself… it is bold, confident…. sure of itself and fully obedient to Christ. It is a slave for/to Christ and pours out a consistent, CONSISTENT…. heart to serve from Sonship. It does not posture itself as “something”…. and demand attention, but exists to help…. sacrificially…
Scribes need that kind of example…
Christ used His greatness to pioneer for humanity! When we look at his life, we don’t just see HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS!!!! We see WHO he was…. and what he willingly gave….
Humility is not weakness.
It is not being a doormat.
It is a spiritual super power…. cultivated by Holy Spirit in us. It is, perhaps, one of the most critical traits of sonship. Without it… the Lord can’t use a person’s life to its fullest. It is a trait that WE must CHOOSE…..and activate in our lives.
