Unmasking False Humility
By Dn Andrew LimWhen we think of humility, there is a natural tendency to associate Asians as being humble. Embedded in traditional values, it’s a virtue that is highly regarded across all cultures. Culturally, it’s so entrenched deep within us that whenever someone pays us a compliment, we automatically respond shyly and dismiss it away as nothing, but perhaps go away feeling good about ourselves; much like the response to ‘How are you?’ is ‘Fine’ even though we aren’t. As Christians, we are probably aware that ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble’ (James 4:6) or the call to ‘humble ourselves, and pray, and seek His face’ (2 Chronicles 7:14).
So then are we really humble?
In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus sought to address those who were proud of their own righteousness and told a parable.
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Reading this parable, Jesus clearly states in verse 14 that we are justified before God because of His mercy and not by our own righteousness, nothing to boast about. That God is displeased with those who are self-righteous. However, take a moment to reread verses 12 and 13. Whenever we hear about scammers, drug addicts, bullies, family abusers, don’t we sometimes feel that we are more righteous before God than them? Or even in church, such as during this season of Lent, that we serve, fast, pray, tithe or study the bible diligently unlike mere church pew warmers. Are we truly humble, or is what we really have, false humility? A façade, a mask we put on when others are around. False humility is pride in disguise, when we externally put ourselves down while inwardly harbouring feelings of superiority.
True humility (or gentleness) is a fruit of the Spirit, grown and developed from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and not from our sinful nature. Timothy Keller, an American pastor, defines humility as ‘self-forgetfulness’ – Humility is not thinking less of ourselves, but simply thinking of ourselves – less.
Romans 12:3 reminds us not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to, but rather think of ourselves with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has given to each of us. Do we truly identify with the tax collector, acknowledging our own sinfulness, and solely depending on God’s mercy and grace?
Prayer: Father, we pray that You would open our eyes to see the true condition of our hearts, to cultivate a true spirit of humility, borne by the Spirit, just as Jesus who, being in very nature God, made himself nothing, humbling himself to be a man, and becoming obedient to death on a cross. May we be like the tax collector, with contrite hearts, recognising our need for Your mercy and grace, that we may experience exaltation that comes from true humility in Your sight.
In Jesus name we pray, Amen.