EPHESIANS: How we Do It
EPHESIANS Number 39
From time to time, I like to repeat a statement that I once read or heard— “I don’t know how to act my age. I’ve never been this age before.” It’s humorous because while it is silly, it is also true. It can be easy for us to feel the same way about thinking, talking, and acting like saints. We don’t know how.
Paul comes to our rescue in verses two and three. He spells it out for us, saying that we should live lives characterized by “all lowliness (humility of mind) and meekness (gentleness), with longsuffering (patience), forbearing (putting up with, bearing with) one another in Love; (this is benevolent self-giving agape’ Love) endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
Lowliness, or humility of mind, is easy to misunderstand. When we think of humility it is difficult to move past the idea that it is displayed in self-denigration and disavowing of any praise or credit for accomplishments that might come our way.
In fact, biblical humility is different than that. Romans 12:3 gives us some insight, telling us not to “think of [ourselves] more highly than [we] ought to think; but to think soberly”. Philippians 2:3 urges that we, “in lowliness of mind…esteem others better than [our]selves.” Rather than telling us to deny our value or reject praise, we are advised not to exalt ourselves. We are urged to submit to one another by holding others in high esteem, thus recognizing and affirming their value. This sort of humility guides us to live lives of self-giving Love.
Scripture speaks of another aspect of humility as well. In 1 Peter 5:5–6 we are urged to “be subject one to another and be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God”.
Humility, for saints, stems from the understanding that God is Lord and King. He is the ruler of our lives. He is the source of all that we are and all that we have. Because of this, we willingly subject ourselves to Him. By faith we live in dependence on Him, just as the Lord Jesus demonstrated for us while He was on earth. Living in this dependent way, voluntarily subjected to the Lord Jesus, we find it natural to subject ourselves to one another and not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought.
This is a gentle or meek lifestyle. Living in this way we are not consumed by protecting our rights at the expense of others. We need not win at any cost. We are not bound by the need for accolades and recognition. We find no need to portray ourselves as victims in hardship.
As I have said elsewhere, gentleness and meekness are our superpowers. There is enough strife and turmoil in the world. There are plenty of people callously trampling others to get their way. Let it not be so with us. Instead, let’s join with our lovely Lord Jesus in saying “I am meek and lowly of heart.” In this we find rest for our souls, and those around us are blessed as well.
