Humility: Give up, give in, give all.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves… have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: … he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. (Php 2:3-7)
You are warmly welcome!
In this season when self-denial should be prevalent among God’s people who desire to grow and get closer to Him and His will, the phrase “give up, give in, give all” should encourage and deepen your commitment. However, it should not be misunderstood. Today’s scriptures show that Jesus Christ is a great example of humility: He gave up holding onto his lofty glory, in order to redeem lost humankind; he gave in to the humiliating scourges, abuse and crucifixion; and he gave all his life. But through all this, he gained greater glory and perfectly served the Father’s will.
To give up means to stop trying to do something because you are not having success doing it; for example, someone hasn’t found a job, but they are not giving up yet. Don’t give up too early regarding that good effort you are making to grow and become better. Don’t give up reading your Bible just because there are some difficult passages; don’t give up on prayer just because the answer is taking too long. But there is another example: “We spent all day looking for the dog, but we gave up when it got dark.” There is also a point at which you must give up – give up trying to be good in your own might and power (and you find yourself failing again and again); give up trying to achieve satisfaction by getting more power and more money (the more you get, the more you want!) On the other hand, to give in means to stop trying to fight or resist something; for example, young people must try hard to resist giving in to peer pressure. But wise people listening to sermon after sermon should give in to the Holy Spirit calling them to salvation and service.
Jesus Christ’s humility is further exemplified by his riding on a colt (not a horse) as he entered Jerusalem as King, in fulfillment of the prophecy: “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Zech 9:9) This is contrary to the world in which we live today, where greatness in power must be seen in the mighty equipment and entourage. Think about the call to have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. In serving God and relating with other people, and in confessing and repenting of sin, humility is indispensable. May God Almighty give you the wisdom to recognize the areas in which you must give up, give in and humbly give yourself fully to the Lord and His will.
God bless you all.