Aspects of Humility
Toward God:
1. Recognizing God's greatness
Psalm 34:2 “My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.”
Psalm 100:3 “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
Proverbs 27:1 "Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth."
Isaiah 47:8 "Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures, that dwellest carelessly, that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children:"
James 4:13-15 "Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that."
2. Realizing need of God’s forgiveness
1 Kings 21:29 ”Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.”
Luke 18:13 “And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.”
3. Teachable toward God
Psalm 25:4 "Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths."
Psalm 25:5 "Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."
Psalm 86:11 "Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."
Psalm 119:12 "Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes."
4. Trusting and Believing God
Psalm 40:4 "Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies."
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
John 5:44 "How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?"
Hebrews 11:6 "But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
5. Submitting and letting go of self-will
Psalm 81:15 "The haters of the Lord should have submitted themselves unto him..."
Exodus 9:17 "As yet exaltest thou thyself against my people, that thou wilt not let them go?"
Exodus 10:3 "And Moses and Aaron came in unto Pharaoh, and said unto him, Thus saith the Lord God of the Hebrews, How long wilt thou refuse to humble thyself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me."
Psalm 143:10 "Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness."
Luke 22:42 "Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done."
James 4:6 “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
James 4:10 “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.”
6. Seeking God with self-denial
2 Chronicles 34:27 ”Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard thee also, saith the LORD.”
Daniel 10:12 "Then said he unto me, Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words."
Toward People:
7. Not seeing self higher than others
Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
1 Corinthians 4:7 “For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”
Matthew 23:12 ”And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.”
8. Thankful; not entitled
Romans 16:3 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus: Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.”
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 “And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.”
9. Willing to understand others
(Not jumping to conclusions and making negative assumptions)
1 Corinthians 4:3-5 "But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God." (Contrast this type of judgment with chapter 11:31-32; unwise evaluation vs. wise examination.)
Proverbs 13:10 "Only by pride cometh contention..."
James 1:19 "Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath:"
10. Respectful toward authority
1 Peter 5:5 “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
Hebrews 13:17 "Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you."
11. Recognizing personal weakness
Galatians 6:1 "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."
1 Corinthians 10:12 "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."
12. Self-sacrificial
Philippians 2:5-8 "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”