Humbleness and Humility

Colossians 3:13
"Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

We must be patient with one another through the failures and times of testing that our brothers and sisters go through. When living with others, it is predictable that we will find out their failures, weaknesses and strengths.

It is only through God's grace that we can bear, (tolerate, or even put up with,) the various personalities of others and it is by that same grace that others can put up with us. As difficult as it may be, we are to bear with one another. When we bear with one anther we are putting up with each other, enduring through, forbearing and even suffering with each other. This alone tells me that we are going to come across many different personalities with various strengths and weaknesses. Times will be hard and seem like you both will never ever see eye to eye, but hold on to the Lord and as long as your attitude of forgiveness is evident, you will succeed.

Forgiveness should always be exercised toward others who have offended us. We need to remember that when someone does offend or try to bring us down through words, moods, or actions, we have a choice to make. Either we can take the offence by forgiving the person or we can grovel in self-pity, depression and let the enemy oppress us. We, as the family of God, should always have a guard over our mouths that our words are filled only with what the Lord wants us to say. Always be aware of your actions that you do not become an obstacle to those around you. If you know someone is struggling in a certain area of their lives, watch yourself that you do not cause that person to fall or you will stand accountable before God for that brother or sisters sin.

The only people who make it hard to forgive are ourselves, yet if you look at the life of Christ, he is our perfect example on how we too can forgive others who have wronged us. Christ forgave us without a cause. We should too. He forgave us freely. We should too. We too should put on the same attitude that Christ has. Just as Christ is able to forgive, forsake, lay aside, leave alone, let be, let go, put away, remit, suffer and yield up, so must we.

Take the position of humbleness. Humbleness always brings us to forgiveness and helps us to take the offence. Pride will lead us to bitterness, unforgiveness, resentment and a whole line of sin that we allow into our lives. Forgiveness does not hold on to the past but will let go every time that Christ may reign in the person.

How do we bear with each other?

Eph 4:2 - "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love."

We are not to be a little bit humble, but completely! Whether we like it or not, to be humble means, lowly, humility, lowliness of mind, the estimation of ourselves as insignificant, inasmuch as we are so the correct estimate of ourselves. For the sinner tapeinophrosyne (Greek word for humble) involves the confession of sin and a deep realization of unworthiness to receive God's marvelous grace.

That means we are to give ourselves totally to humbleness that it may finished its course through us. When we humble ourselves in love we are willing to place ourselves in a lower position than others even if we are beaten to pieces, crushed, destroyed, or even broken. (This does not mean we are to become a doormat that puts a sign on our foreheads saying, hit me.) The Lord has in many cases allowed people and material things to come into our lives so that humbleness and forgiveness may be practiced and made manifest within us.

Gentleness is a condition of the mind and heart, not in weakness but in power. It is the attitude of the spirit by which we accept God's dealings with us as good and do not dispute or resist. The Lord has brought many people into our home. In many cases, it was very hard for gentleness to be within my heart because I was always to busy fighting God when it came to dealing with diverse personalities and attitudes. When I was able to accept the person, (repent of my judgment and self-righteousness,) and stop fighting the Lord, I believe that a heart of gentleness was then apparent. I now understand that in order for gentleness to work in me I must work along with the Holy Spirit to bring unity and oneness to the home through a genuine attitude of acceptance and love. Fighting God in the area of living with others that we don't agree with or accept will only lead us to a loneliness that we have only brought upon ourselves because we would not submit ourselves to a gentle and humble spirit that the Lord requires of us.

Through patience, we can restrain our actions and lips. Patience is longsuffering, endurence towards situations and circumstances we face daily. Judgment and accusation are ever present when we have no tolerance when we see sin or something that aggravates us (in a brother or sister). Self-righteousness is always lifting itself higher to make itself look better and holier than thou.

Love is the belt that binds us together. When we can put our offences aside and smash the bridges between two or more (through forgiveness and humility), love is then able to step in and help us endure through each test and trial that the Lord allows us to go through.

It is very easy to love someone who is easy to love. However, what about the people who are hard to love like the cranky woman who lives three doors down in the apartment building or the unsociable man who sits in the 3rd seat in the 5th row at church each week without saying a word; The busy body that is always in everyone's business; The motor mouth who never seems to run out of words to say or the women who flaunts herself without a price tag. How often do we judge these people? How can you show the love of Christ to them? Allow Jesus to show his love through you by yielding to the Spirit of the Lord. We are the ones who make it hard to love by never allowing God to use us in a way that is mushy or the opposite to how we are used to acting.

Be encouraged dear brethren that our time on earth is short and that our trails and tests are for only but a moment. However, we can let those moments last for decades if we do not yield to the Lord and His ways. The Lord is going to allow us to go meet and even live with some of the most unbearable people to live with, but remember that if we are allowing God to change us from glory to glory then His divine will is being done through and in us daily.

The next time you see a brother or sister struggling, encourage him. Lift them up in prayer. Next time you see someone who gets on your nerves; do not judge them, pray. Do the total opposite to what your used too. Put on the character that Christ would have and lay yourself down. If someone has hurt you, forgive them because in so many cases they have no idea that they have wronged you. Take the offence as Christ has done for you and me. Think about all that Christ did for us. Meditate on it every time you see that person you do not like to talk to or be around. Serve them as you would serve Christ. Say, “Hi” to them even. Make yourself available to help them with tasks they need to get done. Go out of your way to be there for them.

It's amazing how the Lord will use the very people we hurt to listen to our sorrows, needs and struggles. The very people we throw down seem to be the very ones who pick us back up again when we fall. They always seem to be the ones the Lord leads to wipe the dirt of our faces and give the handkerchief when tears are many. They seem to be the ones who encourage us more than anyone else.

I want to encourage you to become that person. Make a choice in your heart today. Repent of the judgments, accusation and self-righteousness. Forgive those who have trespassed against you and start reacting the way Christ would react. Look at every situation and circumstance and ask the Lord how he would deal with it. I believe without a doubt that He will give you an answer through His living word or even through a brother or sister.

If you need prayer or are struggling in this area and need more encouragement, please contact us and we will be more than happy to pray with you and be there for you as a brother and sister should be in Christ.