Humility And Honor

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” 
Proverbs 16:9

Humility and honor – two attributes that are often in short supply in today’s inwardly-focused, irreverent culture. A selfish society would have us indulge our carnal feelings, which tend to gravitate towards the accumulation of personal success and acclaim. If left to our own vices we would naturally assume a platform to champion our own perceived skillsets and abilities. But the model laid out in Scripture is contrary to the pride and arrogance that typically saturates our world. Through the Bible we find that God desires for His followers to apply a modest, unassuming spirit to our endeavors. Granted, this does not mean that we should be silent, timid, or immobile in our work. But we must be diligently aspire to continually evaluate our plans through the will and Word of God. To say it another way, God has the first and final say in our affairs and we do well to ensure that our pursuits are in alignment with the disposition and doctrine of the Lord.     

And so we find that one short statement in Proverbs 16:9 encapsulates the aforementioned considerations. In this diminutive verse humanity is encouraged to develop plans and visions, but such plans and visions must be in accordance with the approval and authority of God. Though we have the endorsement to dream dreams and craft ideas for our future it is the Lord Who ultimately permits, or prevents, such notions from seeing the light of day. Implicit in this reflection is a fundamental truth that this earth, and all it contains, is under God’s care and control (Psalm 24:1). This is why the Lord has the prerogative to intervene in our lives and set us on a different path, should He choose to.   

If we are true to God’s direction He is sure to guide us. But this is obviously an affront to our fleshly nature. Mankind, more often than not, wants honor without humility. Success without sacrifice. Commendation without cost. Triumph without tragedy. But this is not how God tends to ordain the learning experience of life. Through God, humility precedes honor. Success entails sacrifice. Commendation involves cost. And triumph frequently includes tragedy.

But what is humility? Let us momentarily dwell on some of its aspects. Humility does not seek to be exalted or draw attention to itself. It does not suffer from a superiority complex. It does not yearn for the public spotlight, or broadcast its every upright act. But is the mindset that the world advances? Hardly. There is no shortage of people  who crave adoration and attention. They vainly indulge their appetite for popularity and long for a permanent seat at the table of elitism. But God’s system functions much differently. In God, leaders understand the integrity of giving commands because they have mastered the art of receiving commands. In other words, leaders know how to lead because they know how to follow. Conversely, high-functioning teachers, in God’s framework, are gifted because they have discovered how to be high-functioning students. 

When we survey the instruction of God we sense a great spiritual reckoning. God’s recorded precepts are a mechanism He employs to help us exhibit nobility. Proverbs 19 is a prime example. In Proverbs 19 believers are inspired to possess a noble walk and noble words (Proverbs 19:1). Noble thoughts (Proverbs 19:2). A noble heart (Proverbs 19:3). Noble relationships (Proverbs 19:4). A noble witness (Proverbs 19:5). A noble work ethic (Proverbs 19:15). A noble attitude (Proverbs 19:16). As we let God’s extraordinary nature govern us we become more apt to replicate His holy, noble traits. The Lord desires not a part of us but all of us. Only through a total character transformation can we become vessels that can splendidly convey God’s greatness and goodness. All this to say, God’s charter is that we should structure our life’s ambitions through His counsel and consent for only then can we adequately perceive that humility comes before honor, not the other way around.