Philippians 2:3-8, John 5:19

Philip Morris

As part of my role as a youth worker it has recently enabled me to lead some lessons at a local high school. Recently a student asked me why Jesus washed Peter's feet, so we talked about how it demonstrated Jesus being humble. We also talked about how it was relevant to the culture at the time. I then asked the students if they would fancy washing their friends' feet!! A good way to bring a class under order and control if you ever need to!!

So what is the definition of being humble?

1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behaviour, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful.

2. Low in rank, quality, or station; unpretentious or lowly: a humble cottage.

What does the word humility mean to you?

Some people I spoke to said it means:

• To not to be boastful or not to brag


• To put others first


• The most humble people - you wouldn't know who they are


• Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying "it's surprising how much you can accomplish if you don't care who gets the credit"

When I think of humility the first person I think of is Mother Teresa because:

• She spent her time feeding the hungry and dying


• She was a servant


• Whenever she commented on the work she was doing, she always pointed out that she was just doing what she felt God wanted her to do with her life

If you look to the Bible's perfect example of humility, in Philippians 2: 3-8 it says:

'Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, 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 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 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!'

Christ's Humility

Jesus made himself nothing. Jesus was truly God and truly man. He had characteristics of a man and He experienced human emotions just like we do. We get hungry, so did Jesus; we get tired, so did Jesus. Jesus endured pain and suffering on the cross that we could never imagine going through. He came to serve. He gave up the rights he had as a King in heaven to walk on this earth with your everyday people. He associated himself with the sinners, tax collectors, prostitutes, fishermen, hard men, people in adultery, the sick, the lepers, children, the needy, enemies, the paralytics, the blind, the mute, the deaf and the poor.

Jesus was completely dependent on Father God. Sometimes we can try to do everything on our own with no help from anybody else. Especially if we are not in a good mood or if someone has upset us and we get our back up and say stuff life, "I can take care of myself".