Discover your true worth: How to embrace humility in a human-centric society

First Baptist Church: Think of yourself less

There is a philosophy that has permeated our society and that philosophy is that of humanism. By definition, humanism is an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasizes common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems. In other words, mankind is the center of the universe. What makes humanism so harmful, other than it is just wrong, is the emphasis placed on the tremendous value and supremacy of mankind.

Because of that, one of the most misunderstood concepts in our world today is that of humility. Being humble doesn’t mean being a doormat for people to walk on, or being spineless with no convictions and opinions. True humility is acknowledging God as the source of all we have, all we need, and always remembering to give Him credit for both. Therefore, many times in the Scripture we are exhorted to “be humble.” I believe a good definition of humility would be, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

We must not forget that the Bible says, “God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Genesis 2:7). God’s intention for mankind was to live in Paradise and enjoy His presence every day. But we disobeyed Him and decided to live by our own rules instead of His. And the result was that God said, “For dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19). Let’s face it, on our best day we’re just dignified dirt!

Although we are divinely fashioned dust, the reality is that each of us is really worth very little. I once heard that the value of the chemical elements making up a living, or recently deceased body, is between four or five dollars. So when we die and our components return to dirt, that’s our physical value. That in and of itself should be pretty humbling. When you drive a car, remember that five dollars is driving it. Five dollars is living in your home. Five dollars is wearing your clothes. You most likely have more money in the bank than you’re actually worth.

Paul defines humility in these words: “Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves” (Romans 12:3). Our life is really pretty humbling when you realize how much as just human beings we are actually worth. That is why the New Testament writer James reminds us, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (James 4:10). Our real value comes from Him and a relationship with Him!

Please allow me the opportunity to invite you to begin the new year in church by visiting with us at Caruthersville First Baptist Church, 801 Ward Ave. We gather for Bible study time on Sunday mornings at 9:30 and then at 10:30 for worship. We meet at 5:00 on Sunday evenings for worship and a time of Bible study led by our pastor in our fellowship hall. We also have an online Bible study time on Wednesday evenings at 6:00 on our Caruthersville First Baptist Church Facebook page. We would love to have you visit with us!