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		Be Still "Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10a

Humility
Part 3: Humility as a Virtue

"Humility is not to say 'I have not this gift' but it is to say 'I have this gift and I must use it for my Master's glory. I must never seek any honor for myself, for what have I that I have not received?'" ~C.H. Spurgeon

When I ponder the words of Reverend Spurgeon, it becomes clear to me that there is more within this definition of humility than that which is immediately apparent. "I have not this gift." That's just denial. Spurgeon says that to deny having a gift is not humility. Instead, he says that humility is recognizing what you have, why you have it (because God gave it to you) and how it should be used (for His glory). Further, he says that with these God-given gifts, we must never seek honor for ourselves (after all, those who humble themselves will be exalted by the Lord) because what we have is something we have received. That is to say that we never really had something to begin with - it was never ours. It was given to us.

What gifts has God given you? How do you, or how can you, use them for His glory?

Humility As A Virtue

Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud. ~ Proverbs 16:19

What does this mean to you? Proverbs is the book of wisdom, so why would this be considered a wise saying? What other proverbs or sayings (whether they are cultural or from the Bible) does this remind you of?

Benefits of Humility

He mocks proud mockers but gives grace to the humble. ~ Proverbs 3:34

Can you imagine being mocked by God? What do you think it would feel like? How does this qualify as a benefit to the humble?
Why is grace key? Why would God require us to be humble in order to receive His grace?

Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honor and life. ~ Proverbs 22:4

How is it possible that if we are humble and fearing of the Lord, we will be brought wealth, honor and life? Why is it that people spend their whole lives striving after these three things, and yet never really understand that it is much easier to gain them via humility?
What does fear of the Lord have to do with this? What does it mean to you?

The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor. ~ Proverbs 15:33

Use logic and reasoning to determine the relation of Proverbs 15:33 to humility.

A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor. ~ Proverbs 29:23

What about a lowly spirit causes a man to gain honor? This seems to be a running theme among verses on humility. In written Hebrew, emphasis comes in the form of repetition of concepts or words. So, if this concept is repeated, we can assume it is important. What do you think is so important about this?

Got Humility?

Principles that enable a believer to honor God with a humble spirit:

    ~Listening allows us to hear what God, His Word, the Holy Spirit and others are trying to tell us.
    ~Self-Examination allows us to prayerfully process decisions and events, helping us choose the right response.
    ~Confession allows us to cast off sin and guilt as we admit we're nothing without His strength, forgiveness, mercy and love.

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