The Humility of a Christian

This topic has been bugging me; especially after the devotion I've just read not long ago. It's from Titus 3:3-5a:

³ Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other.

⁴ But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love, ⁵ he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. 

Actually, it can mean nothing much. This is just a basis of why christianity is all about. The reconciled relationship with God through repentance, the grace and mercy and overflowing blessings God has given to us. It's a verse that has been recalled over and over again.

I've heard an aunt said Christians are too holy and Christians are inflexible. I tried to conceal that shock from my face when she said that, not knowing how to tell her that the former isn't true. The humility that every Christian go through, is to acknowledge that we aren't holy at all. Try as we might, we are still sinful, even if we are Christians. It's that abundance of grace that led us to God, to know that given our fallen nature, He still love us as though we have never sinned. We choose to be latter because we fear God more than we fear man, hence we would rather follow God's rules and laws than to violate them. (¹³ That’s the whole story. Here now is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty. -Ecclesiastes 12:13; ⁵ But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.^[a] Yes, he’s the one to fear. -Luke 12:5)

I was overpowered by this depth of this devotions, and have reflected on it for more than a day. What led me to Christ? What made me submit to this Almighty God, given my proud nature?


It's the depth of my sin. Proverbs 16:18 says
18 Pride goes before destruction,
and haughtiness before a fall.


Yes, it was my pride that caused my fall. I've fallen so deep that I thought I couldn't pick myself up. Seriously, I was on my verge to commit suicide because there was nothing to live for. Nobody I felt could help me. Even though God sent help, He took it away immediately once I've gotten to stand on my feet. He wanted me to be strong, even though I was a little stronger than the rest of my peers.


Now that I'm slipping into lukewarm state, He reminded me why I followed Him. Why I depended so much on Him so that I can be who I am today...


...That first tuition assignment He blessed me with. He allowed an agent to give me an assignment, just to reach out to another assignment in that condo. I secured that second assignment (without agent) and lost the first (with agent). After that, assignments kept flowing in. He knew I needed it so desperately and He blessed me with it. Those blessings I clinged onto with all my life just so that I could get up on my feet. I remembered crying to Him every night because I was so stressed out. I hid in my dark room and prayed with tears flowing down like streams from rivers just so that I could get some comfort from my loving God in order to continue with my battle alone. Those strength doesn't come from me. I can still remember Nelson was saying "Be Strong in the Lord" because I was squeezing every strength in me to even stop crying in front of people in church.  

Naaman Healed of Leprosy -2Kings 5:1-14

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.^[a]

² Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. ³ She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

⁴ Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents^[b] of silver, six thousand shekels^[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing.⁶ The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

⁷ As soon as the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his robes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill and bring back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel with me!”

⁸ When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

¹¹ But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. ¹² Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.

¹³ Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” ¹⁴ So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. 

What has Naaman got to do with the humility that every Christian bear? Naaman had leprosy and no one could cure. He was desperate to find a cure. Would he be cured if he held on to his pride? Most likely, no. If I were to hold on to my pride, refused to submit to this one and only true God, would I be here, to where I am today? I'll probably make another mistake, worse than those I'd made. In worst case scenario, I could've died, and be damned eternally.


The point is, to admit that we're damned without Christ is to be humble. To pray for forgiveness is to submit to God and ask Him to help us. To ensure that we work towards righteousness is to make sure that the blood Christ paid for our sins are not in vain. It would be sin if you regard them as a voided transaction - it meant that you have never received Christ truly in your life. Baptism is to just announce that we publicly accept Jesus. (³³ But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. -Matthew 10:33)

I find it hard to describe my humility because I've never done it. I don't know how to bring it to words because it's beyond description. Humility is the first step in each Christian's life. Why I choose Christ is still clear to me - He has never forsaken me even though I had forsaken Him. He touched my heart like no one else could - even those whom others claimed to be 'gods'. As my baptism is close to a year, I rejoice to know that my heart still burn for Christ through that simple devotion I've read. That is a wonderful anniversary gift God had prepared for me.