Learning To Run On Empty

August 2009

Last month I wrote about pride and asked myself “why am I at times like this?” This month, I want to offer a cure: The Antidote to pride is humility, or poverty of spirit. Other biblical words are also synonymous with humility: meekness, submissiveness, and lowliness. A song in the 70s speaks about running on empty. Empty of a false self is a good way of describing humility. So is this you? Is it becoming you? Is humility the condition of my soul?

For Monica Baldwin, “What makes humility so desirable is the marvelous thing it does to us; it creates in us a capacity for the closest possible intimacy with God.”

Declared by Einstein as the greatest scientific mind, Sir Isaac Newton said: “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” May his tribe increase in the scientific community.

“Humility is the foundation of all the other virtues hence, in the soul in which this virtue does not exist there cannot be any other virtue except in mere appearance.”It took Saint Augustine, who said this, over a decade to arrive at a humble stance before his Maker.

Aspiring to a humble life is worthy of all the effort we can put into it. Ask the world and it will tell you in so many ways the humble get nowhere. Make your mark on the world, step over anyone in your path, and get to the top at all cost. And when you do… Few are they out there in “Egypt Land,” who say: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Perhaps we shouldn’t expect it when even in “Beulah Land” humility is easily forgotten.

In the church… our mandate is humility. In our Life Manual our best models and highest instructions are humble people and lowliness. Numbers 12:3 says “Moses was very humble.”  Honor, wisdom, grace, fairness, honoring others, greatness, victory, and other attributes worthy of Christ’s kingdom citizens come fast upon the heels of poverty of spirit (peruse these Scriptures and follow references in your study Bible: Proverbs 15:33; Colossians 3:12 1 Peter 5:5; Philippians 2:3; 2 Chronicles 12:6, 30:11; Matthew 18:4; James 4:10; Micah 6:8; Zechariah 9:9).  False humility is possible (is it ever; I know it by personal acquaintance, see Colossians 2:23).

The humble in spirit don’t need to worry about the wrong thoughts of others, the morality that others live by. Their main concern is their own attitudes toward God, others, and all living things. Humility comes from seeing ourselves properly, that is, truthfully, realistically, honestly, without any guile or pretense.  The humble know they have gifts, abilities, strengths, and worth. They also know that all they have can be developed further (Jeff Cook, The Seven Deadly Sins).

The humble minimize or eliminate comparative living. They know and appreciate and praise others’ gifts, abilities be they few or many. They do not compete to outdo others to shine in the eyes of all. They may set as a goal to outdo the whole world in well doing but only to please the Master with whom they walk humbly. They come along side others and throw what weight they have to make them even look better than they by encouraging and edifying them. When others succeed the humble rejoice. When others fail they shed tears of sorrow in sympathy. They offer help.

How do you get it? How do you learn to run on self-empty? Because it does not come naturally to us, humility is a learned attitude and behavior. Jesus was humble and meek (Matthew 11:19). “I love this about you Jesus. How did you do it? Did you willpower your way into being humble?” “The will has no power, my child.” Did you hole up somewhere until it came to you?” “If you hole up it will certainly not come to you.” “Did you seek humility?” “It would not be humility if you sought it in your own strength.”

“How then?” Jesus answered: “Get a vision of my life, purify your intention, and learn the means I used to do life with God. Look at my life carefully. I fasted in humility before the grand will of God. I prayed constantly. I watched to see where my Father was working and worked at the same things and in the same way he works. I took long walks alone into the wilderness as often as possible just to be alone and quiet and to sort out my motives. I studied the Scriptures to learn from others. I memorized much of them so that the same Holy Spirit who gave them shaped my heart. By them I grew in wisdom. Because of them, I learned to be obedient to the end. I marinated in them day and night, taking them into my heart, mind, soul, and body. I served. I worshiped. I sacrificed. I gave my all to all. I ran on empty even of my own rights to run on full (Philippians 2:1-11).” “I see, said I. I will go and do likewise, Good and Faithful Servant.”

Walking with the Master is the humble way. It is the way of poverty of spirit, the condition of our hearts as we are brought into life in the kingdom of God. Amen. Lord, have mercy.

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