If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realise that one is proud. And a biggish step, too. At least, nothing whatever can be done before it. If you think you are not conceited, it means you are very conceited indeed. —CS Lewis, Mere Christianity
What is Pride about?
Pride is about elevating ourselves above others and living with a spirit of superiority.
The Problem with Pride:
Pride inhibits us from fully enjoying God’s love and keeps us from loving others well.
3 Ways to Grow in Humility
1. We grow in humility by owning the
Proverbs 15:33
Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord,
and humility comes before honor.
Cheer up; you’re a lot worse off than you think you are, but in Jesus you’re also far more loved than you could have ever imagined. —Jack Miller
2. We grow in humility by learning from our
Proverbs 29:23
Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.
Humility that has not come from suffering due to one’s own arrogance is either a pragmatic strategy to get along with others or a natural predilection that seems to befit only a few rare individuals. For most leaders, humility comes only by wounds suffered from foolish falls. —Dan Allender
3. We grow in humility by resisting the
Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with humility comes wisdom.
Galatians 6:14
May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Practical Applications:
Make Confession a regular part of your Prayer Life.
Make Confession part of the way you support one another and ground one another in the gospel with a Christian friend.
Discussion Questions:
1. Can you share about a person who has made a positive impact on your life who possessed exceptional humility? How did you notice this quality in them?
2. What was challenging or confusing to you in this week’s message? (Or was is difficult in wrapping your mind around the topic of humility and pride in the Bible, more generally?)
3. Can you share about a time in your life when you can look back and see that you acted pridefully or fell short of living with the humility you desire? What happened and what effect did this have? What can you learn from this?
4. As you reflect on this week’s message or the topic of humility, in general, does a particular Bible passage, idea, or quote stand out to you as something you need to hear right now (see Teaching Notes above)? What resonates with you most? Why?
5. Are there any lessons you hope to take away from this week’s conversation or ways that we can pray for you related to what we’ve talked about today?