Funny sayings are, well, funny. In college my roommate put the following on our dorm door:

Be sincere, whether you mean it or not.

Someone once moaned, “Life is a bowl of soup…and I’m a fork.”

Maybe you’ve heard a person say, “I’m very humble…and proud of it!” Along those lines, I know a church media team that was passing out awards at an annual dinner. They called up one person and presented them with a pin for humility. I asked them, “Do you actually wear the pin? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the award?”

All kidding aside, humility is a key trait for a Christian and for an effective leader. Paul’s letter to the Philippians gave strong instructions outlining what was expected of them as Christ followers:

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

Philippians 2:3 NLT

An article from the Baptist Mission Association focused on humility as a key component of any effective leader. Here are some of their points:

  • A humble leader is focused on God – A humble leader remains close to the Lord in order to have a clearer perspective of who God is and who you are not.
  • A humble leader is teachable and ready to be molded by God – You are the clay in the potter’s hands and that means you are moldable, pliable, and totally surrendered to His will and His ways. You are not irreplaceable because none of us are.
  • A humble leader is friendly – You focus on serving others and you always desire to make their day better with a smile and being more concerned about their well-being than you are your own.
  • A humble leader is appreciative – You know that you could never make it alone and it is your practice to say “thank you” often and to many.
  • A humble leader is empowering – Humility means that we do not have to be in control and every idea does not have to be ours.
  • A humble leader is realistic – Humility causes you to realize how much you desperately need the Lord and how you also desperately need others to make this faith journey with you.
  • A humble leader is forgiving – You realize that everyone makes mistakes, including you, and grace is practiced daily.

Pride is one of the most insidious sins that Satan uses against Christians. It sneaks into our minds easily and must be combatted with true humility. Solomon understood this. That’s why he spelled out what happens to the person who is filled with pride versus the one who is humble before the Lord:

Pride leads to disgrace,

but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 NLT

Again, James speaks about humility and what it shows others:

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

James 3:13 NLT

Jesus said it best as he taught His disciples:

“Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

Mark 9:35 NLT

What can you do today to show the true humility that the Lord is seeking in His servant-leaders?

God’s best…