Preaching to Myself
This Texas-born, now turned Rocky Top girl is not a devoted “country western” music-lover. However, sometimes there are lyrics that grab my attention. “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw is now on my playlist. Please don’t judge me. The chorus of this song does have biblical truth in it: “Always stay humble and kind.” The rest of the song, not so much.
“Be completely humble…”Ephesians 4:2
“Be kind and compassionate to one another…..” Ephesians 4:32
The Greek word, “humble”, in Ephesians 4:2 means “to lower your self-estimation.” For one who follows Christ, it is the acknowledgement of total dependence on Him.
The Greek word, “kind” in Ephesians 4:32 means “to furnish what is needed, to do good, or be gracious”.
Tim McGraw got it right when he put “humble and kind” together.
If one doesn’t lower their “self-estimation” and acknowledge their total dependence on God, it is impossible to show true kindness to others.
January hasn’t shown much humility and kindness in the news or on social media. There are a lot of people just yelling, shouting, complaining, arguing and marching.
One can believe the Bible is true and inerrant, be pro-life and also be humble and kind.
“Hold the door, say please and thank you!” McGraw’s lyrics continue.
Before self-righteousness happens, remember humility and kindness may be easier to show to those we really don’t know very well. “It can be easy to get so focused on the darkness around us that we never address the darkness in us.” (Lysa TerKeurst)
The letter to the Ephesians was written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Ephesus. Apparently, there were people who called themselves Christ-followers who weren’t being humble and kind to others in the church.
This preacher’s wife has had way too much experience with people who aren’t “humble and kind” inside the four walls of the church, including myself, sadly. It is imperative that we model to our children how to respectfully disagree with others. The current trend is “if you don’t agree with me you must be dumb, unpatriotic or not a Christian.”
As January comes to a close up here on Rocky Top and we enter the “love” month of February may each of us choose to be “humble and kind” to those around us. Some practical suggestions: (preaching to myself)
- Say please and thank you.
- Make eye contact with others and give them a smile.
- Listen to others without thinking about what you are going to say next.
- Have a teachable spirit. No one knows everything.
As followers of Christ, let us model humility and kindness inside the walls of the church as well as outside the walls of the church.
