Humility is the soil in which every other good virtue really grow, and the only doorway through which grace flows.

You can humble you.. before you get humbled. I like that option. Yes, let's live selfless and great with God (Matthew 20:20–25). Lord, how can I serve you -- I'm really need your grace today. 

It's a daily choice for each of us. Be real. Be Humble (not self-focused or presumptuous), Be Honest (keep all your promises like God does. Keep all your commitments on time or earlier. Why over promise and under deliver or under aka never promise to those you love. Ask God to help you), Be Honorable, Be Holy, Be Confident (not with excessive confidence, aka self-confidence) -- Yup, Live Happy with your Lord. You know how on the horizontal, people can often detect a hint of selfish-hubris, and that closes a lot of doors. Who doesn't want to see a track record of wise, humble, other-oriented decisions made? Do you want that? 

When was the last time you went out of your way to exceptionally serve another person? When did you go the extra mile for your employer beyond their expectations of you?

Are you a meek or self-seek type of person? Do you live arrogantly but are the only one blind to this? I say go to your Father quickly (turn, change, repent). Yes, tell on yourself before others do.. and then He'll show you more to do. 

You can be different and humble you.. before others do ..that.. to you. 

He gives grace to the humble, so choose to live that way. And stay gracious, ehrlich-sincere, straightforward -- be a blessing to be around. Keep all your promises.

You've got this in relationship with Christ -- meekness for today!

1. Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”

2. Psalm 37:11 – “But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.”

3. Galatians 5:22–23 – “..the fruit of the Spirit is.. gentleness [meekness]…”

4. Colossians 3:12 – “Put on…humility, meekness, gentleness, and patience.”

5. James 1:21 – “Receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.”

6. 1 Peter 3:4 – “Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart…in the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.”

7. Proverbs 15:1 – “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

8. Ephesians 4:2 – “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

9. 1 Corinthians 4:21 – “Do you not know that the meek will inherit the blessings of God?” (paraphrase of the broader principle)

10. Isaiah 66:2 – “..But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”

Who really could live like that, Kurt – you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you.

1. Charles Spurgeon – “Meekness is the strongest quality a man can possess; it is not weakness, but power under control.”

2. Dietrich Bonhoeffer – “Meekness is not the absence of strength, but the self-restraint of strength for the sake of others.”

3. John Stott – “The truly meek person is not a doormat, but someone who channels strength in humility and grace.”

4. A.W. Tozer – “Meekness is the grace that enables us to endure wrongs without bitterness, in the spirit of Christ.”

5. C.S. Lewis – “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less; meekness is living it out.”

6. Thomas à Kempis – “A meek soul does not resist when others despise it, nor does it boast when praised.”

7. John Calvin – “Meekness is the temper of the soul that restrains itself from vengeance, that it may honor God.”

8. Oswald Chambers – “Christ calls us to meekness, to submit to His will and trust Him even when circumstances are harsh.”

In an age drunk as a skunk or punk.. on self-importance and addicted to self-promotion, (that self-seeking) opt to live humbly. Humility has become a forgotten virtue — dismissed as complete weakness, mocked as irrelevance, and replaced by the relentless chorus of “Hey, believe in yourself.”

Yet Scripture cuts through the fog and noise with a thunderclap of truth: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5). Those words are not mere suggestions for believers; they are according to a firm spiritual law. Pride stiff-arms the Lord in the face, puts a palm or finger up in his countenance so to speak. You want God’s favor right? Genuine humility before Him (who is loving, yet direct Authority too) flings the door of grace wide open.

You know that humility is not creepy groveling or thinking less of yourself — it is thinking of yourself less.

It is the posture of a heart that knows its real dependence is on God. Do you have a debt of mercy and love to pay?

It was Author C. S. Lewis who once voiced that, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” In truth, it is the soil in which every other good virtue grows, and the only doorway through which grace flows.

From the first breath of salvation, humility is essential. No one receives Christ while clinging to self-righteousness. Jesus told the Pharisees, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:13). Only the one who confesses, “Nothing in my hand I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling,” will taste the sweetness of grace. And beyond salvation, humility remains the pathway to honor. “Humble yourselves under God’s mighty hand,” Peter writes, “that He may lift you up in due time” (1 Peter 5:6). The road upward always begins by bowing low.

But we live in a world that despises that low road. Do you put yourself up? God will lower you. The way up in His Kingdom is down. Jesus came down and graciously served -- so kind and generous of him!

Pride is now marketed as virtue. Social media seems to disciples us into self-glorification; companies aggressively sell us the gospel of self-esteem; even some pulpits (not all) sometimes peddle a say it, claim it, blab it, grab it weird prosperity message of another Jesus who exists to boost our egos and wallet thickness.

Yet pride is still what it has always been: the sin that turned angels into devils, that put low those who were.. who used to live way up high near God (See 1 Timothy 3:6).

Hubris is the poison that corrupts relationships, the rot that tears societies apart. George Barna's research shows us that over 80% of Americans now believe self-fulfillment is the highest moral good — but that's a philosophy that stands in direct contradiction to Christ’s call: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross” (Luke 9:23).

Pride says, “What’s in it for me? I deserve better.”

Humility says, “I really deserve the cross and hell, so how can I serve the Lord and people better?”

Pride is strangely competitive as it grasps for more power, control and recognition.

Humility stoops down to wash feet. Father, help us obey you. Who did that? Jesus, the King of Glory, “made Himself nothing.. humbled Himself.. even to death on a cross” (Philippians 2:7–8). And because He did that obeying.. that serving, “God exalted Him to the highest place” (v. 9). The pattern is crystal clear: cross before crown, suffering before glory, humility before honor.

History’s giants understood this. Humble self, or others, eventually will. Live honest like God is.

Mr. Augustine observed, “Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by love of God, even to the contempt of self.”

Mr. Calvin warned that “self-love must be plucked up by the roots.”

Mr. Isaac Watts’ trembling lyrics still humbles the soul if we allow them to: “Would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?”

Mr. Charles Spurgeon confessed, “If you are too great for the Cross, you are too small for the crown.”

Yet humility is not just some theological concept to endlessly debate over — it is intensely practical. It heals fractured relationships, it strengthens churches, and it anchors communities, pointing them to the Word of God.

When believers walk humbly, they become conduits of more grace rather than competitors for more glory and positions with name badges and titles.

Got a position or title or nice badge? I encourage you in Him. May the Lord help us all to exemplify what Jesus did. He's the most high, but came so low to help and save people. Are you a soul-winner that serves yet? You can be in Jesus! You've got this in Him.

Humble people forgive more easily (like Erika Kirk just did). Humble people serve more joyfully and love more deeply. It's the happy way of life. As the old hymn pleads, “O to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be.”

God’s economy is so upside down compared to ours. The first will be last. The servant will be greatest. WHAT!?

Those who lose their lives will find them. The world tells you to GO FOR IT FOR SELF AND CLIMB HIGHER, GO FOR THE GUSTO, TAKE WHAT YOU DESERVE. If others won't put you up higher, then you do it and climb higher, stepping on people if you need to, but Jesus says the way up is down. Don't step on anyone..step on your old fleshly nature and bad attitude. In God's Kingdom, true greatness does not come by grasping, gripping, or grabbing thrones and crowns for self but by carrying towels towards dirty feet.

So let us each, one by one, turn, believe God's promises, repent of this cult of self (such a lame mentality to have), and rediscover the forgotten strength connected to Jesus and real humility. So easy to say--saying it is the easy part. Can't do this alone, but let Jesus be seen in you.

Let us measure success not by the high seats with the prestigious locations of those seats that we occupy, but by the lowly feet we go wash. It's so refreshing to see great people accessible to the lowly.. hanging out with and helping the commoners like me. I often see this at my church with business leaders and other leaders in Plano, Texas. And when the corrup world calls humility weakness like they do, remember: it is the humble — and only the humble — who receive grace upon grace, who will one day wear a crown (please desire the soul-winners crown!), and even hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21). Like I'm sure Charlie Kirk recently heard.

I'm going to go with the old revelation (the Bible) instead of the alleged new one of crazy charismania. I'm going to go with the old cross instead of some strange new Liberqal one. “The old cross slew men, the new cross entertains them. The old cross condemned, the new cross assures. The old cross destroyed confidence in the flesh, the new cross encourages it. The old cross brought tears and blood, the new cross brings laughter. The flesh, smiling and confident, preaches and sings about the cross. Before that cross it bows, and toward that cross it points with carefully staged historionics. But upon that cross it will not die, and the reproach of that cross, it stubbornly refuses to bear.”

In The City of God, Augustine wrote, “Two cities have been formed by two loves: the earthly by the love of self, even to the contempt of God; the heavenly by the love of God, even to the contempt of self. The former, in a word, glories in itself; the latter in the Lord.”

John Piper says of today's self-love cult, “Today the first and greatest commandment is thou shalt love thyself. And the explanation for almost every interpersonal problem is thought to lie in someone’s low self-esteem. Sermons, articles, and books have pushed this idea into the Christian mind. It is a rare congregation, for example, that does not stumble over the theology of Isaac Watts, who wrote, `Alas, and did my Savior bleed, would He devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?’”

You and I don't need the world's new self-esteem ideas!

“A chorus of many voices is chanting in unison today that I must at all costs love myself.” ~ John Stott

Why go with the masses when often they are wrong? Self-love with hubris and self-confidence have SO easily been incorporated into the mindset of today's evangelical Christians. Follow God's living word instead.

John Stott said this, “A chorus of many voices is chanting in unison today that I must at all costs love myself.”

“As we have noted almost immediately, the Christian public felt warmly at home with their newfound friend. Self-love has been easily incorporated into the mindset of evangelical Christians. All one needs to do to verify this is to walk into a Sunday school class next Sunday morning and ask, ‘Should a Christian love himself?’ He probably will discover quickly that the tide of opinion flows strongly toward a positive response.” ~ Paul Brownback of Talbot Seminary

Should a Christian love himself or herself?’ The Bible says you already love yourself, so show love to God and others now. The honest believer will probably discover that the tide of opinion flows strongly toward a positive response to loving oneself far more than they already do.

I'm no hyper or other type of Calvinist, but I do love a lot of what he said. John Calvin wrote, “For so blindly do we all rush in the direction of self-love that everyone thinks he has a good reason for exalting himself and despising all others in comparison. There is no other remedy than to pluck up by the roots those most noxious pests, self-love and love of victory. This doctrine of Scripture does, for it teaches us to remember that the endowments which God has bestowed upon us are not our own, but His free gifts; and that those who plume themselves upon them betray their ingratitude.”

Statistic / Trend	Scripture	Christian Quote	Insight / Application
62% of Christians prioritize personal success/self-fulfillment over holiness (Barna, 2023)	1 Peter 5:5 – “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”	John Piper: “Today the first and greatest commandment is ‘thou shalt love thyself.’”	Modern culture elevates self; Scripture calls for humble dependence on God.
1 in 3 American Christians deliberately practices self-denial for God’s purposes (Barna)	Philippians 2:5–8 – Christ humbled Himself even to death	Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”	Humility is countercultural but central to true discipleship.
Social media increases self-promotion; 70% report social comparison affects self-worth (Pew Research, 2022)	Proverbs 16:18 – “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”	Charles Spurgeon: “Pride is the devil’s masterpiece. Humility is the Christian’s crown.”	Online platforms amplify pride; Christians are called to servanthood and integrity.
45% of Christians admit to envy or resentment toward peers’ success (Barna, 2021)	James 4:6 – “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.”	Augustine: “The earthly city is formed by love of self… the heavenly by love of God.”	Envy stems from pride; humility fosters contentment and grace.
80% of pastors say congregations struggle with ambition and competition for recognition	Matthew 20:26–27 – “Whoever wants to be great must be your servant.”	John Newton: “Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself before God.”	Church leaders and members alike must model servant leadership.
The average US adult spends 2.5 hours/day on social media, often curating a superior self-image	Romans 12:3 – “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought.”	Charles Wesley: “Our lives are meant to glorify God, not self.”	Excess focus on self-image undermines humility and discipleship.
60% of millennials believe personal fulfillment > spiritual growth	Micah 6:8 – “Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God.”	John Piper: “When the gospel becomes self-help, the cross is emptied.”	Fulfillment without humility is hollow; God calls us to mercy and humility.
Workplace studies: 55% report that pride and arrogance harm teamwork (Harvard Business Review)	Proverbs 15:33 – “Before honor is humility.”	Calvin: “Self-love blinds, prompting many to despise others and forget God.”	Pride disrupts relationships; humility builds collaboration and honor.
40% of young adults identify as “spiritual but not religious,” often embracing self-defined morality	Romans 1:30 – “…without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful.”	Charles Spurgeon: “A proud heart can never be satisfied with God’s grace.”	Rejecting God’s authority fosters pride; humility aligns us with His truth.
Global surveys: happiness correlates strongly with gratitude and service, not wealth (Gallup, 2023)	Philippians 2:3 – “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.”	Dietrich Bonhoeffer: “Humility is the foundation of all Christian virtue.”	True joy flows from serving others, not self-aggrandizement.

Selflessly Humble > Selfishly Prideful

I know it all (non-learner mentality) < I know so little of what God wants me to know (learner mentality)

Egoism and self-seeking sucks. 

What does “blessed are the meek” even mean?

What does the Bible say about hubris?

What does God think of arrogance?

What are the beatitudes?

What do the Scriptures say about pride?

What does it mean to live in the meekness of wisdom (James 3:13)? 

When you ask for glory, would that be kind of selfish of you? Man, what you'd be doing  is asking for pain or affliction (I don't mean intentional pain like the religious folk like to do, who think that will earn them more grace. I don't mean a pain you want or cause yourself--I don't really want pain cuz there is enough without wanting or asking for it. How many know that the path to glory is basically suffering as a servant of Jesus? True. 

Jesus: “You don't know what you're asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?"

Pain..huh!? What does Mark 10:38 mean?

You remember reading those words of Jesus before right? "You don’t know what you’re asking." Can I paraphrase some? With all respect, Lady, you are totally clueless here. You don’t even know what you’re talking for. You’re asking for glory, lady; and what you don’t realize is that the path to glory is suffering."

God bitte. Help us follow closely and serve the way Jesus did while here. Father, help us better know that the example of leadership is Christ, who served and gave His life even though he didn't feel like going to that cross for us. Help us to see and find the path to real greatness -- it's the path of genuine humility, of meek-brokenness, of selflessness. Father, we praise and bless Your holy name! We thank You for what You've prepared as a reward for those who have been faithful to Your living Word. You can help us today, Lord, to serve without asking, “Hey, what’s in it for me?”.. to humble ourselves.. to be willing humbly to give all.. that we may in a momentary light affliction receive that eternal glory. Father God, we love you--please keep and use us. All this that Christ may be glorified. Amen.