Humility or Humiliation: what’s your choice?

For the past month pastor Rudy Alvir has been sharing his study on the difference between humility and humiliation in the Bible. As we studied this together a number of interesting discoveries emerged. We talk frequently about humility. People can be proud about achieving humility, being humble (even if it sounds like an oxymoron). As I asked teens about how they see the difference, Shaq gave a deep answer: “humility is something you do, but humiliation is something that is done to you.” Another teen defined humiliation as an embarrassment. Think of it, it is OK for a Christian to say “I humble myself,” and still look good. Yet, to be humiliated is embarrassing, painful, shameful, dishonouring. Does any wish to be humiliated? What is our reaction when we are humiliated? Is it not to defend our honour, our reputation?

Let me shift gears here with this question: did Jesus humble himself or was he humiliated and permitted it? Note how Apostle Paul says it in his letter to Philippians 2:7 “[Christ] made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a slave.” Think about details of Christ’s life – humiliating, mocked for questionable origins of his mother’s pregnancy, exposed naked on the cross, accused of demonic witchcraft as he healed people, betrayed, abused, and the list goes on. Think of Apostle Paul, was he just “humble” or was he “humiliated”? Somehow our Christianity become politically correct , we substitute word “slave” with “servant,” “humiliation” with “humility,” “sacrifice” with “service,” and through all that the “SELF” remains alive and in charge.

Today I invite you to consider radical Christianity, even if following Jesus will be humiliating, and our pride will be crushed.

Notice how Apostle Peter sums it up: “⁸Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. ⁹No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. ¹⁰ Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here's what you do: say nothing evil or hurtful; ¹¹Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. ¹² God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he's asked; but he turns his back on those who do evil things.

¹³If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? ¹⁴Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. ¹⁵Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. ¹⁶Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. ¹⁷It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. ¹⁸That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God.” (quoting from Eugene Peterson “Message” paraphrase of 1^st Peter 3:8-18)

Live radical!