The Nobility of Humility

Humility, says Andrew Murray, is "the glory of the creature." Wherever they are found, those who modestly and joyfully give of themselves for the sake of others are held in high esteem. Those we deem our heroes are not the ones calling attention to themselves -- they are too busy using their gifts to serve others. No one demonstrated this exceptional attitude more wonderfully than our Lord:

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him. . . . When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."

John 13:3-5, 12-14

By this startling act of service for His disciples, Jesus, Maker and Master of Heaven and Earth, did not give up an ounce of His eternal greatness; in fact, He affirmed His position of Teacher and Lord. Rather, He demonstrated that true greatness shows itself in willingness to perform even the most menial tasks. He did not think it beneath His dignity to serve those clearly inferior to Him; He remained steady and certain when His worth was doubted; and ultimately, He who was highest stooped the lowest in awesome, matchless humility.

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death -- even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name . . .

Philippians 2:6-9

It was not in His intrinsic worth alone, His position as eternal Son of the Almighty God, that Jesus found His glory. It was in cheerfully setting aside His rights for the sake of others, doing what only He could do to restore us to His Father, taking our blame and giving us His credit. This is the secret of our Lord's greatness, just as it is of ours. We have not so far to bend as He did, but the higher our position, the greater our potential for humility. This is the proof of true nobility.