Lately, I have been thinking about the term “good”. It has become quite common these days to say, “She is good” or “He is good”. If someone speaks of us as a good person, it does make us feel good, right? However, I came to realize that I should not settle with being good. I need to purse, pray and excel in the most excellent virtue. What is it?
If I ask myself, “Out of all the people I know who I think are good, can I testify they are also humble?” To be honest, I can’t. Perhaps, out of 100% of the people I know whom I call ‘good’, I wonder whether I would be able to testify at least 5% among them as humble. The term ‘good’ has become such an ordinary word, even often loosely used, we attribute that to anyone who may appear ‘nice’, at least in appearance. But the term ‘humble’ cannot be that easily applied to anybody, for it is the most excellent virtue.
How thoughtful we become when it comes to call someone a humble person! How difficult it is to testify about others, even the good we suppose, as being humble! And how difficult it maybe for others too to consider us as a humble person! What do people think about us - good or even humble? What do we want to become - just good or eager to live a life of humility?
When Ravi Zacharias was interviewed about his ministry, he was asked, “What have you learned in this struggle about building a good team?” Ravi answered, “First and most important characteristic in every team member is humility.” His response is astounding. Since his is an apologetics ministry, reaching the intellectuals, one may expect his answer to have just a bunch of brilliants and speakers to build a good team.
I think Ravi well understood the point James made, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (Jas. 3:13). Ravi ends his answer with these words, “If I had to do it all over again, I would start looking slower in building a team, and I would do it with a person whose first characteristic to me was that of humility.” After going through failures, I have learned this lesson too in my ministry. It is not easy to find humble people and it is even more difficult to learn humility.
Jerry Bridges writes, “The two Christian character traits taught most frequently in the New Testament are love and humility.” Therefore, should we not make these virtues our highest priority to pursue?
If I ask myself, “Out of all the people I know who I think are good, can I testify they are also humble?” To be honest, I can’t. Perhaps, out of 100% of the people I know whom I call ‘good’, I wonder whether I would be able to testify at least 5% among them as humble. The term ‘good’ has become such an ordinary word, even often loosely used, we attribute that to anyone who may appear ‘nice’, at least in appearance. But the term ‘humble’ cannot be that easily applied to anybody, for it is the most excellent virtue.
How thoughtful we become when it comes to call someone a humble person! How difficult it is to testify about others, even the good we suppose, as being humble! And how difficult it maybe for others too to consider us as a humble person! What do people think about us - good or even humble? What do we want to become - just good or eager to live a life of humility?
When Ravi Zacharias was interviewed about his ministry, he was asked, “What have you learned in this struggle about building a good team?” Ravi answered, “First and most important characteristic in every team member is humility.” His response is astounding. Since his is an apologetics ministry, reaching the intellectuals, one may expect his answer to have just a bunch of brilliants and speakers to build a good team.
I think Ravi well understood the point James made, “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (Jas. 3:13). Ravi ends his answer with these words, “If I had to do it all over again, I would start looking slower in building a team, and I would do it with a person whose first characteristic to me was that of humility.” After going through failures, I have learned this lesson too in my ministry. It is not easy to find humble people and it is even more difficult to learn humility.
Jerry Bridges writes, “The two Christian character traits taught most frequently in the New Testament are love and humility.” Therefore, should we not make these virtues our highest priority to pursue?
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