"Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled while he who humbles himself shall be exalted..”

Luke 18:14

Many men would try to become God but there is only one God who would become man. In all the world religions, only Christianity claims that God humbled himself by becoming one of us to die for us and save us from our sins. This humility of God becoming man is unheard of in any religion outside of Christianity. Look at the humility of God. The omnipotent God becomes all-powerless in Jesus so that we might find everlasting life in him. To see Jesus is to see humility.

Knowing that we are called to live humbly like Jesus, what do we do with all our desires to exalt ourselves and claim power? We all desire to work wonders, show forth great power and live life to the full because we are made in the image of God who does all these things. It is not bad or unspiritual to want to share in all these things. But, we must remember that all these great works and powerful happenings we want are only possible in God. It is a question of ego and saying whether we are the ones doing it or pointing to God as the power behind it all.

“Though he was in the form of God, Jesus did not deem equality with God something to be grasped at. Rather, he emptied himself and took the form of a slave.” Philippians 2:6-7

Look at the humility of God. The one who is the source of all glory and power puts it aside to become a slave for us all. Jesus has lays down his own ego. With total forgetfulness unto self, he lives for the other. The other Jesus lives for is God the Father. He lives sharing in the great power of God and, at the same time, is perfectly humble. He knows that any power he has comes from above and is for the Father’s glory.

Consider the humility with which Jesus comes to us. The King of the Universe is born in the lowliest place, far away from home and loved ones, without any pomp and circumstance. The comfort and warmth of an inn is exchanged for a cold and smelly stable. There is no room for ego and pretense in his birth. This is an image for his life. No room for his own ego. He was just living for his Father, in his power.

We look to Jesus to help us understand true humility in the face of all the desires our ego has for power. Again, it is not wrong to want to share in the very power of God but we must remember that we are just that: sharers. He freely invites us to live in his power. In humility, we receive the very power of God for the work of God and his glory. Humility, then, is knowing who we are in God. We work in his power doing what he wants us to do.

How do we stay humble and know who we are in God? We lay down our Egos. EGO can stand for Edging God Out. We edge God out when we think the power is somehow coming from ourselves and we are seeking our own ends. We live the humble life when we lay aside our EGO and remember that we are simply sharers in God’s power, doing his work, for his glory. Lay your EGO down and edge God in.

God’s will!
+Fr. John