Humility vs Pride

This post has been very hard for me to write. It has taken several days for me to even begin to compose it. I have had to decide that it is too big of a task for me to complete in one posting, so I am going to have to do this one in installments.

This is hard for me to write because I have always had a hard time even acknowledging, let alone stating positive things about myself. I know I am not alone in this. We are taught from the time we are young children not to boast or brag, but is this always a correct instruction? I know that it is wrong to be a braggart or to boast of things you cannot really take credit for, but is it boasting or bragging to celebrate the gifts, talents, and abilities that God has blessed you with?

For some reason we have allowed ourselves to swallow a lie that says to acknowledge positive attributes is arrogance and to deny them is humility. A good example of this is many times I have performed vocally or given a moving sermon and had someone come up and compliment me on the “job” I did. The first reaction is always to deny that it is true, even when you know you prepared well and performed excellently at the task you were being complimented for doing. But, is it really humility to shrug off a compliment or is it actually the pinnacle of arrogance to deny the quality of that which God has gifted you with, especially when you have used it to draw others closer to Him?

I remember two different occasions that stand out in my memory particularly well. One was a time that I got up in front of a church and sang a song. I knew that I had performed with excellence as far as the music was concerned, but I had also moved the audience with my emotions and dramatic presentation that were applied as I sang. I knew I had probably done the best “job” I had ever done; yet I felt guilty taking any delight in that. Why?

A different time, and this particular setting was really no different that at least a hundred others, but what makes it stand out from the rest is what the Holy Spirit had to say to me afterwards. I had filled in for my father-in-law, one of the dozens of times that I filled in for him; he pastored a small church in a little mountain community, and after concluding the service with their traditional benediction I did as my father-in-law always did, I went to the back of the auditorium during the last verse of the closing hymn to be ready to great the people as they left the service that day.

As usual there were lots of congratulatory remarks about how much they loved to hear me sing or how much they appreciated my sermon. And, I, as usual, shrugged off these compliments as if they were way off base, thinking in my mind that to accept them belittled, in some way, the purpose I had given the sermon or sang the song for in the first place, to draw others closer to God. I distinctly remember being convicted by the Holy Spirit so vividly I could have sworn I was being scolded audibly and in person.

How dare I be so arrogant as to deny the quality of the gifts, talents, and abilities God has blessed me with. There was no humility in my attitude at all.

I wish I could say that I learned my lesson that day and I became free in my flesh and my spirit to soar with the eagles where my gifts, talents and abilities are concerned, but it is still a lesson in progress. I will say that I have learned how to graciously accept a compliment and to stop trying to deny others their right to express how that which God has entrusted to me has blessed them. That is as much a part of humility I have come to learn as being able to graciously accept a compliment because both are acts of worship to God for how he has blessed us in that moment.

So today, even if it causes me to be frowned upon by others who have not yet learned how simple acts towards one another is one of the truest forms of worship, I am going to make my first installment of declaring my gratefulness for the spiritual gifts, the natural abilities, and the God-given talents I have been entrusted with.

As you will see, I should not be so timid in stepping out in service for my Lord, he has truly blessed me with a gift-ability-talent mix that has set me apart for some special purpose (Lest you think that I am starting to brag or boast, I believe that, according to the central message of the book of Ephesians, every human being ever born was created to be a world-changer and that God has destined them for a great purpose that cannot be accomplished apart from them realizing and pursuing that calling for their life.)

Below is a list of the spiritual gifts that I have been entrusted with. While they are not listed in any order of priorty, these are gifts that others have acknowledged as well.

Administration: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by effectively organizing resources and people in order to efficiently reach ministry goals.

Shepherding or Pastoring: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by taking spiritual responsibility for a group of believers and equipping them to live Christ-centered lives. Shepherding is another word used for this particular gift.

Teaching: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by teaching sound doctrine in relevant ways, empowering people to gain a sound and mature spiritual education.

Discernment: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by recognizing truth or error within a message, person, or event.

Knowledge: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by communicating Gods truth to others in a way that promotes justice, honesty, and understanding.

Encouragement: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by helping others live God-centered lives through inspiration, encouragement, counseling, and empowerment.

Wisdom: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by making wise decisions and counseling others with sound advice, all in accordance with Gods will.

Faith: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by stepping out in faith in order to see Gods purposes accomplished, trusting him to handle any and all obstacles along the way.

Leadership: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by casting vision, stimulating spiritual growth, applying strategies, and achieving success where Gods purposes are concerned.

Prophecy: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by offering messages from God that comfort, encourage, guide, warn, or reveal sin in a way that leads to repentance and spiritual growth. The original Greek meaning of this word is to speak forth the truth. The gift of prophecy includes both forth telling (preaching), and foretelling (revelation).

Apostleship: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by launching and leading new ministry ventures that advance Gods purposes and expand his kingdom. The original Greek meaning of the word is sent one (literally, one sent with authority or as an ambassador).

Evangelism: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by sharing the love of Christ with others in a way that draws them to respond by accepting Gods free gift of eternal life.

Intercession: The God-given special ability to pray for extended periods of time on a regular basis and see frequent and specific answers to those prayers.

Helping: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by offering others assistance in reaching goals that glorify God and strengthen the body of Christ. This aptitude is sometimes referred to as the gift of helps or service.

Missionary: The God-given special ability to minister whatever other spiritual gifts you may have in another culture.

Service: The God-given special ability to identify unmet needs involved in a task related to God's work, and to make use of available resources to meet those needs and help accomplish the desired results.

Exhortation: The God-given special ability to minister words of comfort, consolation, encouragement, and counsel to other members of the Body of Christ in such a way that they feel helped and healed.

Hospitality: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by providing others with a warm and welcoming environment for fellowship.

Mercy: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by ministering to those who suffer physically, emotionally, spiritually or relationally. Their actions are characterized by love, care, compassion and kindness toward others.

Giving: The God-given special ability to serve and strengthen the body of Christ by joyfully supporting and funding various kingdom initiatives through material contributions beyond the tithe.

Tongues: The God-given special ability to speak to God in a language that the speaker has never learned and/or to receive and communicate a message of God to his people through a divinely anointed utterance in a language they never learned.