Humility Toward One Another

Everyone takes the time to get dressed and put on clothes for the day.  For some, choosing and putting on clothing is an extremely important and purposeful process that includes style, color, and accessories.  For others, like myself, choosing what to clothe themselves with does not take up much time or attention.  No matter what our style or whether we have any fashion sense at all, no one would consider going into public and relating with others without properly clothing themselves.  Whether important or not, we all manage to clothe ourselves each and every day.  Putting on clothes is a natural, normal, routine, every day, all the time, without exception, part of our lives.  With this thought in mind, let me share a third godly relational characteristic . . .

READ:  1 Peter 5:5-11

In vs 5 Peter gives us Godly Relational Characteristic # 3: Clothe yourselves with HUMILITY toward one another!  The word humility means, “to lower, to lay flat, to make small/insignificant, to place under.”  Therefore, HUMILITY is an “attitude where we consider ourselves lower, under, and below all others”.  In Colossians 3:12 along with other relational characteristics Paul says to “put on . . . humility”.  In Philippians 2:3 Paul develops the definition of humility a little further by saying, “in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” Humility, considering others more important than us, is to be as natural, normal, routine, every day, all the time part of our lives as putting on clothes for the day.  Why is humility such an important relational characteristic for us to put on every day?  

There is an important REASON to humble ourselves: God OPPOSES the proud but gives GRACE to the humble (1 Peter 5:5) – Pride and arrogance are not just unbecoming characteristics.  God is violently against those who exalt themselves and lift themselves above others.  Proverbs 16:18 says, “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”  There are dangerous consequences for those who relate with others in a prideful manner. In contrast, those who humble themselves in relation to others receive favor and kindness from God (James 4:6; Prov. 3:34, 11:2, 29:23)!

There is an important REQUIREMENT to humble ourselves: We must humble ourselves before GOD (1 Peter 5:6a) – If we do not willingly humble ourselves before God, He will do it for us.  At the conclusion of a parable contrasting pride and humility in Luke 14:9-11 Jesus says, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled.”  We must be willing to humble ourselves before God.  Humility before God means living with the attitude that He is above us and we are below Him.  By placing ourselves under the mighty hand of God we are submitting to His authority and acknowledging that His plan and purpose for our lives is better than our own.  Humility is a more than a suggestion but a necessary attitude in order to be in right relationship with God and others.  Humility toward God paves the way for us to be able to humble ourselves in relationship with others.  

There is an important REWARD for humbling ourselves: God EXALTS the humble (1 Peter 5:6b) – In God’s economy, relating with God and others with a humble attitude is deserving of exaltation and honor!  Although in Luke 14:9-11 Jesus says those who exalt themselves will be humbled, He goes on to say that, “he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Exaltation is given, not taken.  There is a day when those who humble themselves will be exalted.  By choosing to humble ourselves in our relationship with God and others we will be exalted, but it won’t be us doing it for ourselves, it will be God doing it for us (Mt. 23:12)!

CONCLUSION

Interacting with people with an attitude of pride and humility makes a huge difference in relationships.  With an attitude of pride we selfishly lift ourselves above others, with an attitude of humility we selflessly lower ourselves below others.  Which attitude do you clothe yourself with as you begin each day?  We are to wear humility all day long, no matter who we meet!  Begin your descent to humility by humbly placing yourself under the grace and forgiveness of Jesus Christ and receiving Him as your Savior.  

Live in Harmony with One Another

Are you thinking what I’m thinking?  We ask this question when we want to know if someone has the same thought in mind as we do about a particular topic or in a particular moment.  In the song “Love is an Open Door” from the popular Disney movie “Frozen” Hans and Anna sing a beautiful duet expressing their mutual love for one another because of how much they think alike.  In the second stanza of the song Hans and Anna sing together, “I've never met someone who thinks so much like me Jinx! Jinx again! Our mental synchronization, can have but one explanation, you and I were just meant to be.”  Without realizing it, Disney has identified an important relational characteristic.  Let’s look at this characteristic of a godly relationship with others . . .

READ:  Romans 12:14-21

In vs 16 Paul gives us Godly Relational Characteristic # 2: Live in HARMONY with one another!  Amazingly, Disney gives a pretty good definition of what living in harmony with one another means by using the lyric, “mental synchronization.”  The word HARMONY means to “THINK THE SAME THING”.  Although translated a little bit differently, Paul says something similar in Philippians 2:2 when he says, “complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.” Again, in 2 Corinthians 13:11 Paul writes at the conclusion of his letter, “Finally brothers . . . agree with one another.”  These passages point to the fact that in relationship it is important that our thinking be “on the same page”.  When our beliefs, values, and priorities are the same as another, relationship is easier, but when our beliefs, values, and priorities are different, relationship is more difficult. Through Christ, believers have a unique ability to have mental synchronization with one another. What are some of the things that we should have mental synchronization with others? Let me share a few passages that give some examples of things we should have mental synchronization with Christ and with others . . .

We should have mental synchronization about SPIRITUAL things (Colossians 3:1-4) – As believers in Christ, our minds should be “seeking” spiritual things above in contrast to things on the earth.  The object of our thinking is to be eternal and not temporal.  In other words, our mind’s continual focus is to be in line with our new spiritual life in Christ.  Sharing a singular pursuit of things above gives focused meaning, purpose, and depth to our relationships with others.  Living in harmony with one another means our relationships will no longer be cluttered with the temporal things on the earth, but instead we will have a common eternal goal that we are focused on together.

We should have mental synchronization about SUFFERING (1 Peter 4:1-2) – Jesus Christ endured the suffering of physical pain and death in order to do away with sin (1 Pet 3:18).  We are to arm ourselves with a similar way of thinking in order to do away with the sin in our lives.  Dying to our sin can be a difficult and painful process, and yet a mindset of death toward our “human passions” is the only way we will be able to live for the “will of God” (cf Romans 6:5-14).  Sharing such a way of thinking with others provides the accountability we need in order to be set free from the slavery of sin.  Living in harmony with one another means exhorting one another with the truth about our sin so that we don’t become hardened by its deceitfulness (Heb. 3:12-13).

We should have mental synchronization about SERVING (Phil. 2:5-11) – Jesus Christ displayed humble servanthood by His death on the cross.  He, unselfishly and with our interest in mind, sacrificed His own life in order that we might be forgiven and experience a new spiritual life.  Serving others is an action that requires a humble and other-centered mindset, and yet this is “the mind” we are to have among ourselves in Christ Jesus.  Sharing a mind of servanthood is creates a perfect relational environment for mutual benefit and growth.  Ultimately, the goal of living in harmony with one another is so that individually and collectively we grow together into the image of Christ (1 Cor 12:7; Eph. 4:15-16).

CONCLUSION
Mental synchronization is a necessary characteristic of good relationships.  We will not experience harmony with others until our minds are in harmony with Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 2:6-16).  Are you thinking what Jesus is thinking?  About God? About yourself? About others?  About sin?  About what is true?  About marriage?  About the future?  About life? About eternity? About salvation?  If not, maybe it’s time to get your mind in harmony with Him!

Welcome One Another

Relating with others is at the very center of most all of our lives.  Although we all desire and want to relate with others, we also know that relating with others can be very difficult.  I observe two very distinct ways that we can relate with others . . . 1) Selfish Relating is relating with others because of how we benefit from the relationship.  We enjoy relating with others because they make us feel good, loved, wanted, and valuable.  Another alternative that very few people experience is . . . 2) Shared Relating is relating with others because of the mutual benefits that you and the other person experience as a result of the relationship.  In Romans 12:5 Paul describes this ideal type of shared relating with others by saying, “we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another (cf Eph. 4:25).”  God’s ideal relationship is between brothers and sisters in Christ who share mutual love, acceptance, and belonging together.

God has provided a number of relational characteristics in His Word that will help us experience this type of shared relationship with others.  Let’s look at the very first characteristic of a godly relationship with others . . .

READ:  Romans 15:1-7

In verse 7 Paul gives us Godly Relational Characteristic # 1: WELCOME One Another!  The word welcome means to, “accept or receive someone into your life with friendliness.”  The beginning of godly relationships with others is a willingness to accept anyone and everyone into your life!  How do we do this?  Paul tells us, he goes on to say, “as Christ has welcomed you”.  As Christ has accepted us into relationship with Himself, we are to accept others into relationship with us.  So, an important question to answer is How has Christ welcomed us into relationship with Him?  Our text hints at a few ways Jesus welcomed us . . .

Jesus Christ welcomed us by PLEASING us (Rom. 15:2-3) –Jesus Christ’s entire life was lived not for the purpose of pleasing Himself, but rather for the purpose of pleasing others.  Jesus always spoke and did things unselfishly that would give pleasure to others (Phil. 2:3-8).  We must approach all relationships with a desire to speak and do things, “for (their) good” and to, “build (them) up”.  Pleasing others almost always involves personal sacrifice because it requires us to unselfishly give up what we want with the personal pleasure of others in mind.

Jesus Christ welcomed us by bearing our REPROACH (Rom. 15:3-4) – Jesus Christ was the object of reproach (insult/ridicule) throughout His life.  In even the most intense moments of criticism, Jesus committed no sin and did not return insult for insult, but instead entrusted Himself to God (1 Peter 2:21-24).  We all reproach Christ with our sin, and yet Jesus Christ did not give us what we deserve but instead mercifully, “died for us” (Rom. 3:23).  There will be relationships in our lives that we must allow the reproach of others to “fall on us” without a word or act of vengeance or retaliation.  The temptation in these moments will be to reject them and shut them out of our lives.  Christ was willing to bear the reproach of our sin, therefore we must be ready to bear the reproach of others’ sin toward us!

Jesus Christ welcomed us by living in HARMONY with us (Rom. 15:5) – Jesus Christ lived in harmony with others and He established harmony between others.  Where there was once hostility and animosity between Gentiles and Jews, Jesus Christ brought peace, harmony, and unity through the cross (Eph. 2:11-16).  Oneness and unity with others (no matter how big of a social, financial, religious, or racial difference) is the result of our individual oneness and unity with Jesus Christ.  Such harmony with Christ and others will result in us together and in one voice, “glorifying God”.

 CONCLUSION

At the conclusion of Paul’s letter to the Romans 16:16 he commands the believers to express their acceptance of one another in a tangible way by, “greet(ing) one another with a holy kiss”!  Whether it is a kiss on the cheek, a handshake, or a hug, there is something special about a tangible expression of acceptance in a shared relationship.  Jesus’ tangible expression of welcoming us into relationship with Him was His death on the cross for our sins.  Have you accepted Jesus’ welcoming you into relationship with Him?  Once we’ve experienced the welcoming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ, you’ll know exactly what it means to welcome others into your life!