Day 6 - A Humble Heart

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A Humble Heart - Allison Rutherford

I didn’t know what it meant to be humble until I cleaned the very stage that I led from.

(But, seriously.)

I did not understand the lowliness that would come from getting on my hands and knees and cleaning unidentifiable messes off of the platform that I was given.

Trust me- that one will do some things in your heart really quickly.

If I had any advice to give Christians young & old who are asking: “What can I do to grow in my leadership?” I would first ask them this question: have you scrubbed the toilets of your church yet? Have you swept the floor? Taken out the trash? Cleaned the sticky kids-min floors?

Humility tends to be a buzzword in Christian culture. We preach about it from the pulpit constantly, carry memory verses about it in our back pocket, even chisel it into our series on dating, coming of age, marriage, parenting, etc.

As much as it is a buzzword, my heart hurts over the way that the hype behind ‘being humble’ has almost totally stripped the word of its meaning. So much so, that when the opportunity to grow in humility comes, many would almost immediately blame God. We would ask Him to take away the pruning, the waiting, and the very difficulty that He was trying to use to humble us.

Why do we do this? Why do we resist this invitation into true humility?

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus sets-up this invitation by first saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

It’s almost as if He knew we would need to pursue a personal relationship with Him first before seeking to grow in humility- who would have thought?

Our Savior is so intentional, that His open-doorway into learned humility looks like Him basically saying: “Hey kid- I’ve been expecting you. Kick off your shoes, & leave the heaviness at the door. I know you’re tired. I know you want to throw in the towel and just do it your way, but why don’t you sit back, relax, and hang-out with me for a while? ”

He goes a little further in Matthew 11: "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.”

Now, we’re not talking about yolks, folks… but yokes. The large, sturdy wooden device used to harness the working power of an animal. I know what you’re thinking- first you tell me to clean toilets, and NOW you’re asking me to put a giant wooden restraint around my neck!? Nice try.

But track with me here- Jesus’ invitation into learning lowliness (humility) begins with first submitting to His yoke, which is His authority and working power. What’s really happening here is a yoke-exchange. On the cross, Jesus took our unbearably heavy yoke of the condemnation and penalty from sin, and He now offers us in exchange His easy yoke and light burden of simply trusting Him.

He does all the work of justifying us- we just have to say yes.

The last part of this passage is my favorite. So what happens when we submit to the yoke of the One who is ‘gentle and humble?’ “You will find rest for your souls.” And isn’t that what so many of us are really after?

It is the servant-heart of Jesus, seen all throughout His life and ministry, that makes Him fit to be the One who bears our burdens. Jesus summed-up His call to rest with this blessed assurance: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

This is so, because He bears our burdens with us.
When we’re serving, waiting, longing… He is right there beside us, even in the mess.

Our pride is what keeps us from the very thing that Jesus so desperately wants to give:
rest for our souls. The beautiful rebellion against pride looks like accepting His authority
(His yoke) and letting go. Who better to learn this from than the One who is gentle and lowly-the One who took on our yoke so that we could live in the true freedom that surrender brings.

Whether submitting to His authority looks like cleaning toilettes, washing the metaphorical platform from which you lead, putting your all into your family or simply opening up your hands of the need to control, remember that Jesus did it first, and by His strength, today you can choose to do the same.

Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:28-30

Spiritual Practice

As you continue the 21 Day Pursuit, pray this prayer to center your heart today:

Lord, it is my desire to be made into your likeness and grow to be a person marked by humility.
My pride keeps me from the rest You desire to give me, and so today, I lay it down at your feet.
As I continue this 21 day pursuit of your heart, help me to take on your yoke; to submit to your authority, and accept your invitation into deeper intimacy with You.
Help me to learn from You- the One who is gentle and lowly.

In Jesus’ name,
Amen.