What do you think should be a Christains role on the subject of humility?
Humility is freedom from pride and arrogance. It is humbleness of mind. Having a deep sense of ones own unworthiness in the sight of Almighty God. It is submission to Gods will for our life. It is esteeming others better than oneself.(Phil. 2:3) It is not seeking personal recognition. Humility is to give all to the glory of God.(2 Cor. 10:17)



<!--EDIT|alpha47|Sep 29 2003, 08:13 PM-->

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<p ALIGN="CENTER" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">WASHING OF
FEET</p>

<p ALIGN="LEFT" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">A welcome and hospitable
act that often preceded the eating of a meal in the generally warm climate of
the ancient Middle East, where persons customarily wore open sandals, walked on
dry soil, and traveled on foot along dusty roads. In the average home of the
common people, the host provided needed vessels and water, and visitors washed
their own feet. (Jg 19:21) A wealthier host usually had his slave do the foot
washing, and this was considered a menial task. Abigail indicated her
willingness to comply with David’s wish that she become his wife by saying:
"Here is your slave girl as a maidservant to wash the feet of the servants of my
lord." (1Sa 25:40-42) Especially was it a display of humility and affectionate
regard for guests if the host or hostess personally washed the visitors’ feet.</p>
<p ALIGN="LEFT" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Not only were feet
washed as a host’s gesture of hospitality toward his guest but they were also
customarily washed before a person retired to bed. (Ca 5:3) Especially
noteworthy was the requirement that Levite priests wash their feet and hands
before going into the tabernacle or before officiating at the altar.—Ex
30:17-21; 40:30-32.</p>
<p ALIGN="LEFT" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">When Jesus Christ was on
earth, a host might offer his guest water for washing the feet, give him a kiss,
and grease his head with oil. Simon the Pharisee neglected these three
expressions of hospitality while entertaining Jesus. Thus, when a weeping sinful
woman wet Jesus’ feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, kissed his feet,
and then greased them with perfumed oil, Christ pointed out Simon’s failure and
then told the woman: "Your sins are forgiven."—Lu 7:36-50.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Jesus Christ washed his apostles’
feet on the last night of his earthly life, Nisan 14, 33 C.E., doing so to teach
them a lesson and "set the pattern," rather than to establish a ceremony. (Joh
13:1-16) That evening there had been a discussion among the apostles as to who
was the greatest (Lu 22:24-27), and the spirit then prevailing apparently led to
Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet as a lesson in humility and willingness to
serve one another in the humblest way. On that night Jesus and the apostles were
merely using a room and were not someone’s guests. So, there were no servants on
hand to wash their feet, which would undoubtedly have been the case had they
been guests. None of the apostles took the initiative to perform this menial
service for the others. However, at an appropriate time during the meal, Jesus
rose, laid aside his outer garments, girded himself with a towel, put water in a
basin, and washed their feet. He thus showed that in humility each one should be
the servant of the others and should show love in practical ways, doing things
for the comfort of others. Christian hostesses did so, as is evident from the
apostle Paul’s reference to the hospitable act of foot washing among other fine
works performed by Christian widows. (1Ti 5:9, 10) The Christian Greek
Scriptures do not list formal washing of feet as a required Christian ceremony.
Nonetheless, the example Jesus Christ set by this act stands as a reminder to
Christians to serve their brothers lovingly, even in small ways and by
performing humble tasks in their behalf.—Joh 13:34, 35</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">The individual must have faith in God
and in his being "the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him" (Heb 11:6),
approaching in "the full assurance of faith." (Heb 10:22, 38, 39) Recognition of
one’s own sinful state is essential, and when serious sins have been committed,
the individual must ‘soften the face of Jehovah’ (1Sa 13:12; Da 9:13) by first
softening his own heart in sincere repentance, humility, and contrition. (2Ch
34:26-28; Ps 51:16, 17; 119:58) Then God may let himself be entreated and may
grant forgiveness and a favorable hearing (2Ki 13:4; 2Ch 7:13, 14; 33:10-13; Jas
4:8-10); no longer will one feel that God has ‘blocked approach to himself with
a cloud mass, that prayer may not pass through.’ (La 3:40-44) Though a person
may not be cut off completely from receiving audience with God, his prayers can
be "hindered" if he fails to follow God’s counsel. (1Pe 3:7) Those seeking
forgiveness must be forgiving toward others.—Mt 6:14, 15; Mr 11:25; Lu 11:4.</p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"> </p>
<p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0">Lesser one</p>
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:rolleyes:



<!--EDIT|biblestudynotes|Sep 30 2003, 03:40 PM-->

Perhaps you would like this definition of humility from my lay counseling manuel. Humbled-How do we exalt ourselves? How do we save face? By obtaining degrees? By driving expensive cars? By high price clothing? Expensive houses?
Are you willing to humble yourself? Are you willing to give up the right to live? Humiliation may mean that you need to confess that you are a total failure. Only total failures need the Cross. Everyone else has one more thing he can do, one more thing he can try to rescue himself. Only total failures need the Cross and need to be rescued through death. All others have one more thing to try. Admitting hopelessness, helplessness, and despair, over the flesh produces humility.