I've often felt like humility is the opposite of boasting: being quiet about success, or even attributing it to God for extra spiritual points. But I learnt tonight that it's much more than that.
Tonight we had an encounter with our neighbour, the noisy one next door. We were on our way out when he asked to speak with us.
We stood there, unable to get a word in as he accused us of a lot of things that weren't true and lectured us about being respectful neighbours by being quiet on our stairs. I got slowly angrier at his hypocrisy, arrogance and lies but didn't want to show anything. It was a lesson in humility to listen to him and not defend ourselves and to apologise for not being quiet. I shed my anger once we got into the car by telling J all the reasons our neighbour was out of line and pointing out his hypocrisy and lies.
As I reflected later on I knew that there was nothing else we could have done. Part of me wanted to argue back and tell him about all the noise that he makes and his disrespect of his neighbours, but I knew that wouldn't be helpful in any way and would just put him off side even more. We took his accusations and apologised. This is how I felt I should respond as a Christian.
After all, we have the ultimate example of humility in Jesus. Though he was mocked and scorned, Jesus never said word against the accusations thrown at him (Mark 14:55-61). He humbled himself even to death on a cross. And that is what saved people from sin and death, not a verbal defence against his accusers.
I don't think I'm very good at it, I didn't like doing it, but God is teaching me humility.
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