Month: September 2026

In lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.” Philippians 2:3-4

What mindset invariably leads to treating others correctly? Humility. When we see ourselves as undeserving of the least of God’s goodness, then we see other’s weaknesses in a different light. Nothing brings our perspective of others more in line with how God sees them than looking at ourselves first. When God looks at us, he loves us even though He is perfect and we are not. When we look at ourselves first then others, we will realize that they are not perfect, but neither are we.

When Christ rode into Jerusalem the people put garments and palm leaves on the ground before Him.  They were not honoring the donkey, but the rider.  When people throw accolades at us, it is easy to be caught up in the adulation, but we must remember that their adoration is probably not for us, but for Him who sits on the throne of our life.  Remembering that can keep pride from enveloping us. Teddy Roosevelt, who had his struggles with arrogance, would ocassionally step outside on a clear night and locate the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda in the lower left-hand corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.  The Spiral Galaxy is as large as our Milky Way, is just one of millions of galaxies. and consists of one hundred billion suns, all larger than our own.  After a few minutes Roosevelt would say that he felt small enough and would go back inside, his pride set aside for the time being.  The universe can quickly put all things into perspective.  It’s bigness belies any notion that we are much bigger than anyone else in comparison.

When we, in genuine and personal humility, esteem others as we ought, we will cease to look for ways to please ourselves and begin to look for ways to help others. Rather than using others to better ourselves, we will use ourselves to better others. Our concern becomes not how can we fulfill our own desires, but how can help others fulfill their needs. In Ephesians we read, “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  (Ephesians 4:2)  The Apostle Paul also gave similar instruction to the church at Philippi.  “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”  (Philippians 2:3)  Paul was incredibly confident about his message, but he understood he was just an earthen vessel patched together by God.  Of  himself, he said, “I am the least of the apostles.” (1 Corinthians 15:9), “I am the very least of all the saints.” (Ephesians 3:8), and  “I am the foremost of sinners.” 1 ( Timothy 1:15)  On one hand,  Paul told the Corinthians they could model their lives after him and yet here he is confessing his lowliness.  Paul knew that anything great in him was because of God, so to take credit for it would be robbery from God.

How we plan our day, how we use our time, how we spend our money – are all barometers of true humility. We can find great joy and satisfaction in giving up our own pleasures for the sake of others. If Christ would not have been able to do that for us, no one would be saved.  M.R. DeHaan, a great Christian writer, said,  “Humility is something that we should constantly pray for, yet never thank God that we have.”   I heard of a pastor who wanted to do a sermon on humility, but was waiting for a bigger crowd.  I think he missed the point of his own sermon.

I told a story  a few years back at Camas’s Academic Awards night about hearing one of the seniors praying before a football game, asking God to make him humble.  “Unfortunately,” I said, “God thought he said make me fumble…and he did…four times…which, indeed, made him humble.” As soon as we think we have humility, we have lost it.  Pride has a way of bringing us back down to earth, so it is probably best to not elevate ourselves- it makes the trip back down a lot harder.

“‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”  Matthew 15:8

One of the things that we are instructed to do in the Word is to honor God.  In these fast-paced times when honoring almost everything but God is rampant, it can be easy for believers to forget their obligation to honor the creator.  Honor has several different meanings all of which can be applied to our relationship with God.  First of all, it can mean to greatly esteem, secondly it can mean to fulfill, and thirdly it can mean privilege.  In one way or another all three of those meanings should come into play in our worship of God.

First of all, we should esteem God above all else.  We can do that in many ways, but most importantly we must believe in His Word.  It is hard to say that we are honoring God if we don’t read the Word and obey its instruction.  If we want show respect to the boss at work, we do what he says.  That is a form of honor. When my brother and I used to work for our dad, he always said let the boss know he is the boss.  He was right and if we always let God know He is the boss, that is honoring to Him. The Word says that the greatest commandments are to “Love the Lord God with all our heart and mind and soul, and to Love our neighbors as ourselves.”  If we fulfill the instructions in the Word with those two things in mind we will be esteeming God as we should.

There are hundreds of ways outlined in the Word that we can honor God.  If we read what He says, take it to heart, and follow through with His commands, our actions will be honoring.  We are told that we should use the Bible as our textbook for behavior, and when we do, we honor Him,  “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”  (2 Timothy 3:16-17)  We are told to pray and when we do, we honor Him, “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”   (Philippians 4:6)  We are told to put others first and when we do, we honor Him, “Do nothing out of rivalry or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3)  We are told to study the Bible and when we do, we honor Him, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth”  (2 Timothy 2:15) We are told to we need to accept the sacrifice of the Son and when we do, we honor God.  “If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  (Romans 10:9)

When we esteem the Word, do what it says, we honor Him. When we ignore the Word, we dishonor Him.  It is pretty clear.  But we should understand something: We are not following God’s instruction so that we can earn His love.  We are following God’s instruction because we love Him and want to show our love.  We earn nothing by our actions; we show something by our actions.  We show honor.   We can get so caught up in our own lives that we forget that honoring God should be our top priority.  I wrote a few weeks ago about “top-button” theology.  If we get our top button right on our shirts, all the other buttons will align.  That top button is honoring God.  If we get that right, the rest of life will align.  If not, all other things will be askew.

Honor also means to fulfill our responsibilities.  If we honor our obligations, that in itself is honoring.  We no longer walk this earth on our own accord.  We represent  Christ.  Along with that representation are certain kinds of behaviors that glorify Him.  God has told us that he has paid a debt for us in full.  “He was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.” (Romans 4:25)  He will honor that.  We, in turn, can show our love by honoring the obligations we have to Him.  It is clear what He asks of us, “He has told you what is good and what it is the LORD requires of you: to act justly, to love faithfulness, and to walk humbly with your God.”  (Micah 6:8)  We will honor Him, by honoring what we are called to do. Many Christians spend six days a week sowing wild oats and then come to church and pray because of crop failure.  That does not honor God.

Honor also means privilege.  It is an honor to serve God.  “But be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.”  (1 Samuel 12:24)  If we consider our service to Him an honor, that is honoring to Him. Paul tells us that, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory.” (1 Corinthians 10:31)  If we are doing things for God, it honors God.  If we honor God all other things will be taken care of.

Our honor thanks Him for His grace and mercy.  Our love for Him recognizes His love for us.  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.”  (Deuteronomy 6:5)  So, it is an honor to honor Him, and we should honor the command to honor by honoring Him whenever and wherever honor is possible.  Phew, that is a mouthful, but with God’s help we can do more than say it- we can do it.