Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action.

Acts 7:22 NIV

In Stephen’s speech before the Sanhedrin in Acts 7, he described Moses (before his self-imposed exile from Egypt) as a man “powerful in speech and action”. However, if we compare this to Moses statement to the Lord at the burning bush after 40 years of exile:

Moses said to the LORD, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.”

Exodus 4:10 NIV

40 years of preparation cultivated one important attribute in Moses, humility.

(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)

Numbers 12:3 NIV

Humility is an essential attribute of the Christian life. This is an attribute that can only be the result of sanctification, worked into us by the preparation of the Holy Spirit.

Why is humility so important? Let’s take a look at the highest example of the perfect Christian, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ:

And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:8 NIV

Jesus humbled himself by being obedient. We can see here that obedience is an act of humility and we can also determine that in order for us to be obedient to the Lord we must first be humble. Why must we be humble? To recognize our dependance on God and our need of Him. To be obedient we must depend on and trust God, which requires the humility to recognize our need of Him and the futility of trying to live under our own power.

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;

Isaiah 1:19 NIV

Willingness to be obedient and to follow the Lord’s commands comes from humility and is required to experience the good things that the Lord has in store for us.

Humility is an attribute that is highly valued in scripture and is essential for our spiritual growth and for loving, Christ-like, relationships with others.

So, what exactly is humility? First, let’s look at what it is not. Humility is not about self-deprecation or low self-esteem. Having a low opinion of ourselves, usually as the result of past trauma in our lives, is not humility and can in fact cause damaging pride to emerge which is the enemy of humility.

(25) Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.
(26) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
(27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—
(28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Matthew 20:25-28 NIV

Humility is about having a correct understanding of ourselves in relation to God and others. It involves recognizing our limitations, weaknesses and dependence on God. It also involves a willingness to be taught and to learn from others as well as a willingness to serve them out of love, rather than obligation.

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 11:2 NIV

Humility is the key to wisdom. How can we learn from God, scripture and other Christians if we do not first have the humility to recognize that we are in need of this guidance?

You may ask “But how can I become humble?”. This is a work in us that requires sanctification through the Holy Spirit, sanctification being the Holy Spirit’s work in us that makes us more Christ-like. We need to understand though that sanctification is a process that we, in our flesh, can hinder. As the Holy Spirit works in us and in our lives through trials and experiences to teach us we can choose how we react to this process. Stubbornness, pride, arrogance and unwillingness to be taught are all attributes that make the sanctification process longer and more drawn out and often result in the need for more painful trials to be used to bring us to the point where we will submit. When trials and testing come into your life, instead of despising them, embrace them. Ask the Lord in prayer what He is trying to achieve in your life through them, ask Him to help you to follow the process and to have the right frame of mind to learn the lessons that He is teaching you.