Humility

Dwight L. Moody said, "Be humble or you'll stumble."

Humility is the cure for pride. It's the quality Jesus Christ displayed when He left heaven to become a man and give His life for our salvation. Jesus said,

"I am gentle and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29).

J.I. Packer notes this: In 1 Corinthians 15:9 Paul said, "I am the least of the apostles." In Ephesians 3:8 he called himself "less than the least of all the saints." And in 1 Timothy 1:15, he said he was the worst of all sinners. Since these statements were written, respectively, in AD 59, AD 63, and AD 64, Paul grew downward in humility as time went on.

Philippians 2:1-11 notes two activities that are necessary for all believers: humility (bowing in submission before God) and doxology (rendering worship and praise to God).

A healthy spiritual life will have both.

If you want to see humility, says Paul in this passage, look at Jesus. In verse 8, the word "even" points to the fact that Jesus died in the most shameful, embarrassing, and painful method of execution. Why such humility? Why this kind of lowliness of mind?

Why this kind of death? Because Jesus Christ was dealing with our greatest need: forgiveness.

He humbled Himself to die this horrible death because He loves us.