Songs of the Great Ascent - The Humility of Greatness

Psalm 131

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus pointed out to his disciples the contrast between the way the world leads and the way people of the Kingdom lead. He noted that those considered “rulers of the world lord it over [the people].” But it shall not be so among you. “But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all” (Mark 10:42-44). He then went on to say, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (v45).

These words would have sounded startling in Jesus’ day, because humility was not commonly regarded as a virtue. Across Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, the words associated with humility carried the sense of being “low”—low to the ground, lowered in status, or even humiliated. Yet through his life and teaching, Jesus gave humility a new and beautiful shape: not weakness or disgrace, but the willing redirection of one’s power for the good of others.

John Dickson in his delightful and concise book, Humilitas, defines the term in this manner: “Humility is the noble choice to forego your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself.” More simply we could say, “the humble person is marked by a willingness to hold power in service of others.”

He then relates a story which powerfully depicts this biblical understanding of humility.

       “Three young men hopped on a bus in Detroit in the 1930s and tried to pick a fight with a lone man sitting at the back of the vehicle. They insulted him. He didn’t respond. They turned up the heat of the insults. He said nothing. Eventually, the stranger stood up. He was bigger than they had estimated from his seated position – much bigger. He reached into his pocket, handed them a business card and walked off the bus and then on his way. As the bus drove on the young men gathered around the card to read the words: Joe Louis. Boxer. They had just tried to pick a fight with the man who would be Heavyweight Boxing Champion of the world from 1937 – 1949, the number one boxer of all time, according to the International Boxing Research organization. They apparently said of Louis that he could knock out a horse with one punch.”

Here is a man of immense power and skill, capable of defending his honor with a single, devastating blow. Yet, he chooses to forget his status and hold his power for others.

This week, Psalm 131 calls us to this kind of power through King David. Still, it is King David’s greater son, the Lord Jesus, who exemplifies for us this humility: “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Join us this Sunday as we continue our series, “Psalms of the Great Ascent,” by looking at “The Humility of Greatness” from Psalm 131.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Wayne