280 Sermon Illustrations on Humility

When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom. — Proverbs 11:2.

Divine love ignores self. The Lord Jesus never thought of Himself, of His honor or of His ease. His one thought ever was how He might glorify God and bless others. If we are to manifest divine love, self must be set aside. It is the way of love to be ever doing good to others, yet never claiming credit for it. “It is not puffed up.” Pride from within would “vaunt itself.” Applause from without “puffs up.” But love goes on its way in meekness. — J. R. Caldwell.

The numerous, proud, self-righteous host,

Who fondly of their something boast,

Will find their something nothing more

Than what will prove them blind and poor.

Oh, may my soul such folly shun,

Nor ever boast of what I’ve done;

But at God’s footstool humbly fall,

And Jesus be my All in all.

And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not. — Jeremiah 45:5.

These words were spoken by Jeremiah to Baruch the scribe who had written the words of Jeremiah concerning the doom of Jerusalem in a book. Evidently Baruch was dismayed and disturbed by what he wrote. Here he is cautioned not to seek great things for himself. The advice is very appropriate to ourselves because we are inclined to do the very thing that the text forbids us doing. We are to have the mind of Christ in us-a lowly humble mind. — H. K. Downie

Seekest thou great things for thyself? oh seek them not!

Earth’s wealth will quickly fly, its glory be forgot.

Would’st thou then know wherein true greatness lies?

Get lowest down, and thou wilt highest rise. — R. W. Beachy

You know . . . in what manner I always lived among you, serving the Lord with all humility. —Acts 20:18-19

Members of the upper level Brahman class in India never stoop to do any menial labor. So how shocked Shriman Naraarayan was when, spending time at Gandhi’s ashram (a spiritual retreat center for Hindus), he was assigned a task that he felt was beneath his dignity.

Having earned a doctorate from the London School of Economics, that young man had come to the ashram to seek guidance about his future. Unknown to him, everybody at the ashram was given some specific assignment, and Shriman’s was to clean toilets. Deeply offended, he went to Gandhi immediately and complained, “I hold a doctorate. I’m capable of doing great things. Why do you waste my time and talents on cleaning toilets?” Gandhi responded, “I know of your capacity to do great things, but I have yet to discover your capacity to do little things.”

You may be highly qualified to serve our Lord Jesus in a significant way. Because of your training and gifts, you may have the potential to carry on great and effective spiritual service. But are you willing to humbly perform some menial task if He so assigns you? Would you be willing to clean another’s toilet or wash another’s feet? (John 13:14-15). That’s what obedient discipleship is all about. —VCG

Lord, may I always do Your will,

It matters not how small the task;

Oh, may I have a humble heart

And do whatever You may ask. —Fitzhugh

Are you big enough to become small enough for God to use?

This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. — John 21:19.

Principal Cairns was a very humble man. He had an odd way when approaching a doorway with another person of standing aside and saying, “You go first, I follow.” When he was dying his friends noticed that his lips were moving, so bending down to listen, they heard him whisper, “You go first, I follow.” The habit of a lifetime found fruition in his death as he followed the Saviour into glory. Let us prayerfully follow the habit of humility; Christ first, we follow. — Henry Palmieri.

We follow Thee, our Guide, our Saviour and our King;

We follow Thee, through grace supplied from heaven’s eternal spring;

We’d follow till that day, when all our toils shall cease;

And we shall cast away our arms and dwell in endless peace. — T. Kelly.

A political enemy once accused Abraham Lincoln of being two-faced. Abe laughed and said, “Now, do you think that if I had another face I’d be wearing this one?”

Lincoln, who rose from a Kentucky log cabin to the White House, showed the world what humility really means. In spite of his great power as President, he never lost touch with the people he grew up with, or claimed to be something he wasn’t. He never tried to impress people.

One of Lincoln’s last acts before he left Springfield, Illinois, to go as President to Washington, D.C., was to visit his old law office and say goodbye to his partner, William Herndon. After they finished discussing business, he lay down on the office sofa and stared at the ceiling.

“Billy,” he asked, “how long have we been together?”

“More than sixteen years.”

“We’ve never had a cross word, have we?”

They talked about the many funny things that had happened through the years, and then, as Abe picked up his books to leave, he pointed to the signboard swinging on its rusty hinges at the foot of the stairway.

“Let it hang there,” he said. “I want the people to know that the election of a President makes no change in the firm of Lincoln and Herndon. If I live, I’m coming back some time, and we’ll go right on practicing law as if nothing had happened.”

Most politicians from the East thought of Lincoln as an ignorant frontier lawyer. They were sure he could never handle the problems of a President. They knew he could never fit in with the educated, polished people of Washington.

Abe never argued about that. He didn’t change his homely way of speaking. He kept right on telling his funny stories and didn’t worry about whether people admired him or not. “My course,” he said, “is as plain as a turnpike road. It is marked out by the Constitution. I am in no doubt which way to go.”

Although many people didn’t like having this long, lean rail-splitter for President, they couldn’t help but see honesty and a natural dignity in his face. He never tried to pretend to be what he wasn’t and he never forgot the humble background from which the Lord had brought him.

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Source: CLIMBING JACOB’S LADDER, by Jeanne Larson and Ruth McLin, Copyright 1979 by the Review and Herald Publishing Association

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God. — 2 Corinthians 3:5.

The great angels of God are not such fools as to trust their own wisdom, devise their own schemes, rely on their own energies. They are God’s messengers and therefore wait for His instructions … Humility is the secret of their greatness (Psalm 103:20). “Who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him?” Yet many Christians are foolish enough to try and add their own “common sense,” to the wisdom of the all-knowing God. Therefore they are abandoned to the folly of the latter, and life is muddled, darkened, disappointing … The man of God must consent to be always a child of God.

As a little child relies

on a care beyond his own;

Knows he’s neither great nor wise,

fears to stir a step alone;

Let me thus with Thee abide

as my Father, Guard and Guide. — John Newton.

Peter Writes to Pilgrims -- 1 Peter 5:6–7 — Humility of Spirit

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A. Review

1. Outline, thus far (abridged):

a. 1:1–2:12 – The Blessings of Spiritual Pilgrims

b. 2:13–4:11 – The Duties of Spiritual Pilgrims

c. 4:12–5:14 The Trials of Christian Pilgrims

i. 4:12–19 Suffering to God’s Glory

ii. 5:1–5 The Place of Elders … review …

2. Words to Elders, 5:1–4: 1 Therefore, I as a fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and as one sharing the glory about to be revealed, encourage the elders among you: 2 shepherd the flock of God in your midst, watching over them not by constraint but willingly, not in a sordid desire for profit but eagerly; 3 neither oppressively ruling your congregation but becoming examples to the flock; 4 then when the Chief Shepherd shall be manifested, you will obtain the unfading, glorious crown.

a. What roles do elders (same word as ‘presbyters’) have?

i. Verse 2a: « shepherding the flock; the nurturing work of a ‘pastor’ in teaching-preaching the word »

ii. Verse 2b: « watching over (overseeing), protecting the flock: the work of an ‘episkopos’ or ‘bishop’ »

iii. Implied in verse 3: « ruling or leading (but not merely for the sake of exercising power or authority) »

iv. Verse 3: « setting an example for the flock »

b. Who are the flock? « – the congregation, the church body »

3. Words to Young Men about Elders, 5:5: In the same manner, you younger men, submit yourselves to elders. Indeed, all of you, submitting yourselves to one another, wear a servant-coat of humbleness of mind; because ‘God arrays Himself against the arrogant, but gives grace to those who are humble.’ (Prov 3:34, LXX)

a. What two submissive relationships are here? « – (1) to the elders and (2) everyone to one another »

b. What characterizes each? « – submission (1) to their spiritual authority and (2) as servants one to another »

B. Humility of Spirit 1 Peter 5:6–7

1. 6 Therefore bow yourselves in humility under the mighty hand of God in order that he may raise you up at the fitting moment, 7 casting every one of your distractions upon Him, because your concerns belong to Him.

2. Verse 5 introduced the subject of humility by describing two submissive relationships, and then loosely quoting the LXX translation of Proverbs 3:34, ‘God arrays Himself against the arrogant, but gives grace to those who are humble.’ « The word arrogant has the idea of someone thinking themselves more than a man … like Herod Agrippa I who readily accepted the adulation of the crowds saying, ‘It is a god, not a human being that is speaking!’ »

a. What submissive relationship is introduced here? « – that between us and the Lord God »

b. What warning and promise are reasons for doing this?

i. Warning … « that failure to do so will bring us to dire consequences, in opposition to God »

ii. Promise « … that in doing so God will show His favour, His grace upon us »

3. The phrase, ‘the mighty hand of God’, speaks of God’s power, with that power expressed in a number of differing ways. How is His power exercised in

a. 1 Peter 4:17 (”For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?”; NAS) & Ezekiel 39:21 (”And I shall set My glory among the nations; and all the nations will see My judgment which I have executed, and My hand which I have laid on them.”; NAS)? « – in judgement, in chastisement and in punishment »

b. Deuteronomy 32:39 (”See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me; It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded, and it is I who heal; And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”; NAS) & 1 Samuel 2:6 (”The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up.”; NAS)? « – of both death and life »

c. Exodus 3:20 (”So I will stretch out My hand, and strike Egypt with all My miracles which I shall do in the midst of it; and after that he will let you go.”; NAS), 32:11 (”Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, ‘O Lord, why doth Thine anger burn against Thy people whom Thou hast brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?’”; NAS), Deuteronomy 3:24 (”O Lord God, Thou hast begun to show Thy servant Thy greatness and Thy strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Thine?”; NAS) & 9:26 (”And I prayed to the Lord, and said, ‘O Lord God, do not destroy Thy people, even Thine inheritance, whom Thou hast redeemed through Thy greatness, whom Thou hast brought out of Egypt with a mighty hand.’”; NAS)? « – God’s deliverance of His people Israel from out of Egypt »

d. Ezekiel 20:33–35 (‘33 “As I live,” declares the Lord God, “surely with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out, I shall be king over you. 34 And I shall bring you out from the peoples and gather you from the lands where you are scattered, with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm and with wrath poured out; 35 and I shall bring you into the wilderness of the peoples, and there I shall enter into judgment with you face to face.”’; NAS)? « – he will judge and rule over His people »

e. Acts 4:28 (”to do whatever Thy hand and Thy purpose predestined to occur.”l NAS)? « – accomplishing His plan »

4. Consider those who behave in this fashion before God:

a. How does He treat them here? « – he lifts them up from their humble position »

b. When « – at just the right time (this is interpreted by some to be at His coming, but it does not seem so limited to me) »

c. What is the ultimate privilege in this, Isaiah 57:15 (”For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, ‘I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite.’”; NAS)? « – that God would dwell with and in us! »

5. “… 7 casting every one of your distractions upon Him, because your concerns belong to Him.” … the word ‘distractions’ (‘cares’ in the AV) comes from a root, meaning “to divide into parts.” This describes the anxious thoughts and worries that can divide a persons mind so that he cannot focus his thinking,

a. What is the practical outcome of this? « – lack of concentration, inability to get things accomplished, failure to have peace »

b. What solutions do we find for this state of mind?

i. In this verse, a loose quotation from Psalm 55:22, “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” (NAS)? – hand the burden over to God. « The word in the Greek was used to translate two Hebrew words (1) Shalak, to cast or commit (Ps 37:5) (2) Galal, to roll (away). It speaks of removing a load to heavy to carry further »

ii. Philippians 4:6–7 (”Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”; NAS)? « – in prayer »

iii. Matthew 11:28-30 (”Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light.”; NAS)? « – by the rest found in Christ Jesus; also by belief in God’s promises Luke 12:32, and by endurance in persecution Luke 21:16-19 »

6. Peter uses here the language that would be used of the coming before an earthly ruler or potentate. Consider, for example, Ahasuerus before whom when Esther came if he did not raise the golden sceptre she would be put to death. Such a ruler had the power of life and death; one would humbly bow to the ground before him and only when he raised you up, would you stand. Then, depending on his attitude, he might elevate you to a place of power as happened to Joseph, Daniel, and Mordecai. God can and will do the same, but on a far grander scale, with His power being over ETERNAL life and death. What fear, awe, reverence and respect is therefore required of God’s people … what privilege that we can appear in His throne room without redress through Christ’s blood!

With 2007’s release of the movie AMAZING GRACE, William Wilberforce has been getting a lot of attention lately. I am not so sure he would be that happy about that. This English statesman who helped abolish the slave trade in Britain wrote at length about the dangers of loving worldly praise and applause. “It tends,” Wilberforce wrote, “to exalt and aggrandize ourselves... to assume credit and merit for our own qualities... instead of ascribing all honor and glory where they are due.”

Perhaps it was this clear understanding that enabled Wilberforce to do something that not many Christians succeed in doing well: effectively collaborating to bring a biblical worldview to bear on culture. Wilberforce was not a glory hog. He was not looking to be the Man of the Year. His eye was set fiercely on a better prize, a heavenly one. And so to bring about the end of the great evil of the slave trade, he eagerly collaborated with like-minded Christians in a way that truly demonstrated the beauty of the body of Christ working together — First Corinthians 12-style.

I find it fascinating how God orchestrated such a marvelous symphony of talents to end the slave trade in Britain. Hannah More, a gifted playwright and poet, offered her writing skills and her great popularity with the people. Josiah Wedgewood applied his talent for creating beautiful pottery to make an anti-slavery brooch that soon became all the rage in England. John Newton and William Cowper wrote hymns and poems. And then there were others of the Clapham Circle, among them a former ambassador, a publisher, two Anglican priests, and a parliamentarian, who all lent their particular skills to the cause.

The Clapham Circle — or Clapham Saints, as they were called by their detractors — lived in the village of Clapham, four miles from London. They embodied the Acts 2:42 lifestyle, meeting together for prayer, sharing meals together, living in community. Wilberforce and Henry Thorton began the Clapham Circle with intentionality. According to Wilberforce biographer, Kevin Belmonte, “Years later [Wilberforce] would insist that this network of support had been indispensable in enabling him to serve effectively in politics. Others might dismiss such a seemingly trivial notion, but Wilberforce knew that his friendships were one of the most important parts of his life.”

Sometimes we glimpse this spirit of collaboration today, with Christians joining together to help in Katrina’s aftermath, or the forty-some organizations that work together with Prison Fellowship to take the Gospel into every prison in America through Operation Starting Line.

But what if we saw this kind of collaborative spirit become the norm? What if Christians cultivated Clapham-style communities in our towns and cities? What if we embraced the spirit of Clapham in our spheres of influence? What kind of societal giants could we topple if we locked arms with like-minded brothers and sisters in Christ with no concern for credit or recognition?

It’s worth dreaming about. And while Wilberforce would not have wanted personal praise for this kind of community that he and Thorton created, I think he would be eager to see the Clapham Circle inspire Christians of our day to even greater works of God-honoring collaboration.

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Copyright (c) 2007 Prison Fellowship Ministries. Reprinted with permission. "BreakPoint with Chuck Colson" is a radio ministry of Prison Fellowship Ministries.

In a short essay called “A Piece of Chalk,” G. K. Chesterton describes one of his favorite childhood pastimes: drawing with chalk on brown paper. He prefers brown paper to white because the colors of the chalk stand out more vividly against its rough, dark background. The most essential piece of chalk in his collection is the white one. He writes, “One of the wise and awful truths which this brown-paper art reveals, is this, that white is a colour. It is not a mere absence of colour; it is a shining and affirmative thing, as fierce as red, as definite as black.”

I suspect most of us have been guilty of thinking of white as an absence of color; in fact, white light includes colors of every other wavelength. Chesterton draws a parallel between our mistaken thinking about the color white and our mixed up perspective on virtue. He writes, “[T]he chief assertion of religious morality is that white is a colour. Virtue is not the absence of vices or the avoidance of moral dangers; virtue is a vivid and separate thing, like pain or a particular smell.”

Have you fallen into thinking of virtue as the mere absence of vice? I have, on more than one occasion. I once led a Bible study on the subject of pride, and one of the participants asked if we were going to also study humility. “Oh, no,” I responded, “If you can conquer pride, you’ve achieved humility.” However, more study and a few more years of battling my own pride convinced me that I was dead wrong on this issue. It is only by pursuing the positive fruit of humility that we can ever hope to battle pride. Humility is not the mere absence of pride any more than white is the absence of color. Humility is a “vivid and separate thing,” a prize worth pursuing. It is only when we learn through humility to think on things greater than ourselves that we will be able to abandon our pride.

C. S. Lewis noted a similar misconception in his sermon “The Weight of Glory.” Lewis writes, “If you asked twenty good men today what they thought the highest of the virtues, nineteen of them would reply, Unselfishness. But if you had asked almost any of the great Christians of old, he would have replied, Love. You see what has happened? A negative term has been substituted for a positive....”

We should be careful to avoid substituting negatives for positives. When God commanded his people to be holy, He did not base his command first and foremost on the detestability of sin. He grounded this command in his own character, saying “You shall be holy because I am holy.” Yes, God hates and abhors what is unholy, but this abhorrence springs from his delight in what is good and true, namely Himself. Like Him, we should not look at the joyful pursuit of holiness as the wearisome extermination of vice. We should not merely hate what is evil; we should also cling to what is good. In doing so, we move from the defensive to the offensive, a move that is a major turning point in the winning of any war.

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Copyright © 2007 Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM). Reprinted with permission. "A Slice of Infinity" is a radio ministry of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.

Blessed is the person who can enjoy the small things, the common beauties, the little day- to-day events; sunshine on the fields, birds on the bough, breakfast, dinner, supper, the daily paper on the porch, a friend passing by. So many people who go afield for enjoyment leave it behind them at home. – David Grayson, American writer

“During the 1960 Olympics, defending gold medallist Al Oerter and teammate Rink Babka were expected to take the gold and silver medal in the discus throw. Although Babka was very ill the night before the competition, he beat his teammate in the first four throws. On the fifth throw Oerter stepped into the circle, spun around, and threw the discus farther than any other that day.

“He had snatched victory from defeat and won the gold medal, while Babka had noticed and pointed out a flaw in Oerter’s technique during the fourth throw. A small adjustment was all Oerter needed, and it cost Babka the gold medal. Babka was not the winner that year, but no one could call him a loser.”+

In fact in reality it is easy to see who the real winner was in this situation. It took a great amount of grace, humility and brotherly love to do what Babka did for his friend Oerter that day.

And it took an incredible amount of grace for what Jesus Christ, the Son of God, did for us in giving us his life so you and I could receive an eternal victor’s crown.

Suggested prayer: “Dear God, because of what you did for me on the cross of Calvary, help me to so live that I might be ‘as Christ’ in some way to every life I touch. Gratefully in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

The 1977 medical case study does not give her name, but she was a woman of normal intelligence, married, and 49 years old. This woman chronically thought and dreamed about wolves. The first inkling her family had was when they had a large gathering and the women took off her clothes and crawled on the floor for 20 minutes.

The following night, the woman suffered a 2-hour episode, during which time she growled, scratched, and gnawed at the bed. She stated that the devil came into her body and she had become an animal. She said she felt like an animal with claws.

Her husband took the hint and admitted her to a psychiatric hospital. She had extreme apprehension and felt that she was no longer in control of her own fate: she said, “A voice was coming out of me.” There was no drug involvement or alcoholic intoxication.

In the hospital she was medicated but still had relapses when she would said such things as:

“I am a wolf of the night; I am a wolf woman of the day... I have claws, teeth, fangs, hair...and anguish is my prey at night... I am what I am and will always roam the earth long after death... I will continue to search for perfection and salvation.”

She would gaze into the mirror and see “the head of a wolf in place of a face on my own body. Others around her noticed the unintelligible, animal-like noises she made.

She gradually improved, but a final episode occurred -- on the night of a full moon, of course. She announced to her family, “I don’t intend to give up my search for (what) I lack in my present marriage... I will haunt the graveyards...for a tall, dark man that I intend to find.”

Rather bizarre, don’t you think? Psychologists call the condition Lycanthropy, combining the Greek words for wolf and man. It’s not just in the movies. And it’s not just wolves. People have imagined themselves to be cats, birds, frogs...and cows.

Such conditions are interesting to us. But imagine being in that person’s shoes, or imagine it happening to a family member. Now imagine that the victim is a leader of your country. It is not that far-fetched - George III, the English king during the American Revolution - suffered from mental illness caused by porphyria. But the most famous example is King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who was condemned to behave like a cow until he repented of his arrogance before God.

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Adapted from "A Case of Lycanthropy," by Harvey Rostenstock, M.D. and Kenneth R. Vincent, Ed.D., in THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRY, vol. 134, no. 10, October 1977; http://www.primitivism.com/lycanthropy.htm. Also, "Ahwooooo! Does the Wolfman liveth?" by Rianna Ouellette, Bryn Mawr College, http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f01/web2/ouellette.html.

Sermon in the series "The Quest for the Real Jesus," #8. Luke 18:18-22

WHAT MUST I DO TO BE SAVED?

===========================

I. Salvation means different things to different folks.

A. Most are familiar with Bill Bright's "Four Spiritual Laws."

B. Another evangelism tool is the "Romans Road."

C. What would Jesus himself say that salvation entails?

II. People need to be saved.

A. Jesus believed the world is messed up. Matt 11:23-24

B. Jesus believed YOU are messed up.

C. Jesus came in order to save people.

III. Only some will attain it.

A. It is hard for rich people to get saved.

B. Salvation is a narrow gate that few find. Luke 13:23-24

IV. What people must do to be saved.

A. Have faith.

B. Repent.

C. Be humble.

D. Obey God's commandments. Luke 18:18-22

E. Produce fruit.

F. Endure to the end.

V. Is Jesus your Lord?

I took Intermediate Greek in seminary with Dr. John Polhill, and we did our work in Philippians for the entire semester. Each student had to select a passage in Philippians on which to write three exegetical papers. I grew up listening to my dad preach a wonderful message on Philippians 2:1-11, so I selected that passage for my papers. That beautiful passage that some think was an early Christian hymn tells all about the humility of Christ and how He voluntarily set aside privileges that were rightly His in order to serve humanity.

I was pumped about digging into the Greek syntax and learning more about it. I studied that passage for four months. I did lexical work, syntactical work and exegetical work. I knew the ins and outs of all the Greek clauses. In fact, I memorized the passage in Greek. You could say I was an expert on Philippians 2.

The problem is that while I worked hard to become an intellectual expert on Philippians 2, I didn’t work hard to become a practical expert on it. Far from having the mind of Christ (Philippians 2:5) and far from displaying the humility of Christ, I actually became more arrogant and prideful. Despite Dr. Polhill’s best efforts to challenge the students, including me, to make this more than an intellectual exercise, I failed to adequately apply the passage to my life.

Regretfully, as a young minister, I have often been guilty of arrogance and pride. I have often thought I knew better than my elders. I have often been cocksure that my solutions to the problems were always the correct ones. I still have Philippians 2:5-11 memorized, at least in English, but I often fail in having the mind of Christ.

And yet, the other day I was convicted and challenged anew to apply Philippians 2 in my life when I got to see firsthand a brother in Christ powerfully demonstrate the humility of Jesus to me.

I met recently with some state convention executive directors. Backstory: I have at times been very critical of state conventions and state convention leaders. So, I was meeting with some men who had every reason to be upset with me.

One of the men in the room was Dr. J. Robert White, the executive director of Georgia’s state convention, and he asked to go first. I braced myself wondering what he would say. However, Dr. White turned the conversation on a dime and changed the temperature of the room with his first sentence, “Jonathan, I want to ask you to forgive me.” I was caught off guard and humbled within seconds.

Dr. White went on to say that I had written some hurtful things about the Georgia Baptist Convention, and he said that instead of doing the biblical thing that he knew to do -- call me or come see me to talk it out like brothers -- he chose to just be upset with me. For that he said he was sorry and sought my forgiveness.

It was such a powerful moment. I was almost moved to tears and did choke up when it was my turn to speak (especially since it’s a ministry of Georgia Baptists that led to my mom to faith in Christ while she lived at the Georgia Baptist Children’s Home). It was a powerful moment because Dr. White displayed the mind of Christ. Dr. White is a man in a very important position. He is my elder. He has tenure in ministry longer than I have been alive. He honestly didn’t owe me anything. I hadn’t had the respect or courtesy to call him or sit down with him before I wrote those things. And yet, he voluntarily humbled himself before me. He apologized to me. He sought my forgiveness. In that moment I was reminded of Philippians 2 again, and I knew that’s the kind of man I want to be.

I was staggered. I was humbled by Dr. White. Of course, I forgave him and I sought his forgiveness in return. In my zeal to see more resources get to the places with little to no gospel witness, I have sometimes been guilty of being uncharitable to other brothers and have arrogantly thought my proposed solutions are the only right ones. Dr. White graciously forgave me as well.

It was an encouraging and convicting meeting -- one I’ll never forget. And it’s a reminder to me that knowing the Word is one thing but practicing the Word is quite another. I hope this will be a challenge to all students and young pastors. I know it’s a challenge to me. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5) and “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).

I was first introduced to the idea of a pivot foot not on a basketball court but in a seminary classroom when a counseling professor used the term as an illustration.

Similar to basketball players, he wanted his students to keep one foot stationary in their biblical convictions, yet swivel open in respect to counselors who held opposing viewpoints.

A seed was planted within me that day. Over time, with nurturing by the Holy Spirit, the illustration of that basketball move blossomed into an unexpected work of humility in my life.

My pivot foot has expanded my circle of friends to now include those with whom I don’t agree on every point of theology or practice. God has given me the grace to love and accept Christians of various backgrounds and theological leanings. He has matured me in ways I didn’t realize I even needed.

The landscape of Christianity currently consists of believers grounded in the truth of the Gospel, yet divided on various issues. We could benefit by developing a pivot foot.

Here are five reasons why:

To promote unity within the body of Christ

Galatians 3:28 states that believers come from different races, social statuses and genders, but in Christ we are one.

We also make distinctions among ourselves based on theological convictions, church methodology or views of Christian culture and conduct. Convinced our own preferences are right, we feel justified when we quietly, yet scornfully dismiss our brothers and sisters in Christ who disagree.

However, we would do well to remember our equal standing. Proponents of both groups are sinners raised to life in Christ. The Gospel levels us. So let’s use our pivot foot to find unity within the body of Christ.

For the good of unbelievers

The development of a Christian pivot foot ironically benefits unbelievers. In Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17, He petitions the Father four times for the unity of His people (vs. 11, 21-23).

One motivation is love for the lost. Jesus concludes His request in verse 21 with: “so that the world may believe You have sent me.”

How does unity among Christians bring the lost to believe Jesus is God in the flesh? When we unite, our focus moves outward toward the hurting, instead of inward on ourselves. We begin to see needs we previously missed. Together, we offer love in the form of deeds and truth. They see our good works and give glory to God. Let’s pivot toward one another for the sake of the lost.

To demonstrate humility

Pride loves being right. Pride also loves self while humility puts others first. As we humbly extend our pivot foot, we make room for those with whom we disagree.

It takes humility to set aside for the sake of someone else what we deem as unequivocally right. Could we begin to question ourselves some, remembering our own fallibility? Maybe our right findings aren’t as impenetrable as we thought. And even if they are, could we lower our pride in them to make room for others to come close?

Jesus humbly set aside His divine rights for a time for the sake of others (Philippians 2:5-8). Let’s identify with Christ and model His humility by developing a pivot foot.

For the opportunity to show love

It’s only natural to love people just like ourselves. Even the Gentiles do this (Matthew 5:46). But Christ-like love intentionally pivots toward opponents for their good, even when the flesh prefers to turn away.

Consider how Jesus loves and welcomes people unlike Himself. The Infinite moves toward the finite. The Self-Sufficient invites the dependent near. The Holy One draws sinners to Himself. The foundation of Jesus’ ministry was a radical, self-less love. A more expansive pivot foot never existed.

Let’s be more than just open to these opportunities. May we cheerfully pursue those with whom we differ and even surprise them by our love and affirmation.

For the unexpected benefit of joy

If you’ve remained in your theological and practical bubble for some time, you might be surprised by how much you’d learn and enjoy rubbing shoulders with some outsiders. I certainly was.

When the Lord moved my family to a church unlike any we’d served in, I was skeptical at first. But as I pivoted my heart toward them, I found a surprising joy.

I quickly realized we had more in common than I expected, primarily the Gospel. This alone brought joy. I was refreshed by their genuine desire to abide in Jesus and not simply acknowledge truths about Him. I saw a vibrancy of faith and eagerness in prayer that challenged me to seek the Father more wholeheartedly. Through their faithfulness to serve and teach, the Holy Spirit proved He can use a variety of ministries to accomplish the Father’s work (1 Corinthians 12:4-11). And their quiet patience toward those with differing viewpoints taught me a lesson about humility.

We Christians may not be known for our basketball skills, but by God’s grace, I pray these motivations would encourage us to cultivate a pivot foot toward one another that has far-reaching effects.

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Courtney L. Moore, online at courtneylmoore.com and mother of two sons, is a member of Pinelake Church in Brandon, Mississippi, where her husband Brent is adult groups pastor.

[Article was slightly modified by David Holwick to broaden the message from Southern Baptists to Christians in general.]

In Greek mythology, Narcissus was the god who fell in love with his reflection in a pool of water. Today, we call people narcissists when they too, fall in love with themselves. Narcissists see everything from only their perspective. They have an excessive need for attention and approval (social media has fed this ailment). They exalt themselves. They are always right in their own eyes. They believe they are the center of the world. They have made an idol out of themselves and usurped even the very place of God. They use people to build their image and fame. Narcissist leaders are especially dangerous.

By now, you are probably already visualizing the narcissistic people and leaders in our culture, in politics, and even in our churches. In their attempt to exalt themselves, they damage the churches and the people they lead.

In my adjunct teaching role, we assess the strengths and weaknesses of an individual’s leadership tendencies. At the beginning of the course, I tell students that this will both be the easiest doctoral course they ever take, and it may also be the most painful. Leaders are born with deep cracks — we are all broken. Interestingly enough, some of what might make us effective leaders, in the beginning, may be the very things that ultimately lead us to crash, burn, and hurt the people we lead.

Too many churches, and organizations are held captive by such leaders who want the church to serve them, rather than their being willing to serve the church. They are the fount of all wisdom. They alone are right. Their way is the only way. “The rest of you don’t know what you’re talking about.” They want to be recognized. They want their vision. This is “my church.”

Narcissist leaders devalue the contributions of others. Their way is the only way. They get angry when they seem to lose their dominance. They become judgmental when someone else makes a contribution equal or greater in value than theirs. At any cost, their agenda is all that matters. They discount and reject the contributions of others.

Jesus, the greatest leader of all time, set a very different path for leaders. Of all humanity he alone was perfect in every way, yet the Apostle Paul writes that he, “who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped [held on tightly to], but emptied himself ... he humbled himself...” (Phil 2:6-8). Rather than exalt himself, Jesus humbled himself, and then gave his life for us. This is true leadership greatness.

Jesus’ disciples did not find this easy to do. In fact, it was completely counterintuitive to all they thought they knew about life and leadership. At least one time, Jesus caught them arguing about which of them was the greatest. On another occasion, James and John’s mom came to ask Jesus for her sons to sit in positions of power and authority in Jesus’ kingdom.

Jesus said, “It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be your slave, just as the Son of Man [Jesus] did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matt 20:26-38).

Jesus gave his life and his leadership so that others might be saved. His purpose was not to glorify himself but to save humanity. Yes, he was ultimately exalted by the Father (Col 2:9) and this revealed who God is, but his great sacrificial act — the cross was motivated by his love for us. Though he was the greatest, he humbled himself and served us.

Pastors and church leaders, what does it mean for you to set aside the folly of your own self-importance and submit your agenda to God’s plan and purposes for those you lead? What does it look like for you to serve the people God has called you to lead? What will you have to give up for the sake of serving others?

Blanchard and Hodges write, “To successfully combat the temptation to be self-serving in your leadership, every day you must put your EGO [Edging God out, double entendre intended] on the altar and Exalt God Only.” (taken from Lead Like Jesus).

Ultimately, Christian leaders need to lead like Jesus.