By Mark Grace, CCCNZ Ambassador
Kei meinga tetahi mea i runga i te wehewehe, i te whakapehapeha ranei, engari i runga i te ngakau papaku, me te whakanui a tetahi i tetahi ki runga ake i a ia;
'Aua ne‘i faia se mea e tasi ma le finau vale, ma le mitamita fua; a ia taitasi outou ma manatu ma le loto maulalo, ua sili nisi uma ia te ia. '
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
Philippians 2:3
At some level, I think I do almost everything out of what Paul calls selfish ambition and vain conceit. Even my best motives are mixed.
Paul’s antidote to our heart’s self-seeking and self-importance is humility. It’s a simple concept, but not so simple to accomplish. How do we become more humble? How do we grow in humility?
Paul says humility comes from time reflecting on—and resting in—who Christ is and what he has done.
The best way to address my own self-seeking attitudes and behaviours is to reflect on and rest in Christ’s self-sacrifice.
Here’s what I’ve found: this looking to Christ and his work is like large stones on the riverbed at the bottom of a waterfall. Over time, every stone is shaped by torrential water flowing over it.
When we look to Christ and gaze on his glory, his grace flowing over our hearts brings about transformation. This kind of humility is what we exhibit when our characters have been shaped by grace.
Looking to Christ, meditating on who he is and what he has done, melts our hearts and shapes our characters to embody the humility of Jesus.
