Pride is the most natural of sins and the hardest to see in ourselves. We spot it quickly in others and rarely in the mirror. Yet the Bible everywhere exalts humility and warns against pride, and it does so for our good, because pride sets us against God and humility opens the door to His grace. Let us see what the Scriptures say, using the words they use, humble and lowly, meek and lowly of heart.
God Resists the Proud
Scripture states the matter as plainly as it could be put. "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble" (James 4:6), a truth repeated word for word by Peter (1 Peter 5:5). Think on what that means. The proud man sets himself against the very God whose grace he cannot live without, and God stands against him. The humble, who claim nothing and lean wholly on God, find His grace flowing toward them. Pride and grace cannot occupy the same heart.
Pride Goes Before a Fall
Pride is not a harmless flaw. It is a destroyer. "Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). "A man's pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit" (Proverbs 29:23). Again and again in Scripture, the man who lifted himself up was brought down, and the one who bowed low was raised. Pride blinds a person to his own faults, deafens him to correction, and walks him straight toward a fall he never sees coming.
The Humble Are Teachable
Humility also shows in whether a person can be taught and corrected. The proud man cannot bear to be told he is wrong, but "before honour is humility" (Proverbs 15:33), and the one who loves to learn loves correction with it, while "he that hateth reproof is brutish" (Proverbs 12:1). James told Christians to "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls" (James 1:21). A teachable spirit is a humble spirit. The person who already knows everything cannot be taught anything, not even by God.
Christ Our Example
The greatest example of humility is the Lord Himself. Paul wrote, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God... made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant... he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8). The One with every right to exalt Himself took the lowest place. He invited us, "learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29). If the Lord of glory could stoop that low, no servant of His has any ground to stand on his dignity.
Esteem Others Better Than Yourself
Humility shows itself in how we regard other people. "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3). Paul told every man "not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think" (Romans 12:3). And Jesus turned the world's ladder upside down: "he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:11-12). In the kingdom, greatness is measured by service, not by rank.
Humble Yourself Before God
Since God gives grace to the humble, the wise thing is to humble ourselves before He has to do it for us. "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up" (James 4:10). "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time" (1 Peter 5:6). The prophet summed up what God requires as this, to do justly, to love mercy, and "to walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8). In the kingdom of God the way up is down. Bow low before God now, and let Him do the lifting in His own good time.