Why are people usually either proud and arrogant or shy and insecure? These extremes are unattractive and unhealthy, yet the truth is the world has not found the secret to becoming humble at heart. In fact we don’t even know the meaning of “humble.” We are told in the Bible that humility is a desirable trait yet there are no directions given on how to become humble. Why is humility so great? God can best communicate with the humble. He is attracted to them because the truly humble are aware of God. True humility, I believe, is someone so confident in God that he is at ease, with nothing to prove to others. Meek and lowly, humble of heart are all just completely confident. Simply put, humility is confidence in God. The meek and lowly are not shy and introverted, afraid of their own shadow. A humble person is merely confident in his relationship with God. No need to impress anyone, just resting in His God. No anxiety, no fear.
Actually, arrogant people are just as insecure as those who criticize themselves constantly. Arrogance and insecurity are thought to be opposite but they are like brothers. An arrogant person is focused on himself, talking about himself to cover his insecurity. A person with low self esteem is also focused on himself and his lack. Both are self-centered, unable to be confident because they have a lack of confidence in God and His ability in their lives.
In the Bible, on the subject of humility, we find 1 Peter 5:5 often interpreted as “…For God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble.” I’m sure this interpretation is out of whack. For it is the proud that resist God, not He resisting them. Anything that gives the impression that God would resist man is out of character for Him. In context with God’s willingness that all be saved and come to the knowledge of Christ, (2 Peter 3:9) I say God never resists us. I know it is a proud heart that resists God. “For God so loved the world…” (Jn 3:16) and yet we are all proud in our flesh. People notice that the Bible seems to contradict itself. The problem is the versions and interpretations are super-sovereign based, biased by a notion that God does whatever He wants whenever He wants and has no moral limitations. Most people see God as the Muslim religion’s Allah who may or may not love us and may grant heaven to anyone he determines worthy. But that’s not who our God is. Our God has reconciled us to Himself through His own Son, who paid our bail and opens prison doors. Our God is not willing that anyone perish but that all come to repentance. (1 Timothy 2:4) It is our choice now.
I believe the correct interpretation of this verse is “The proud resist God but the humble are receptive to His grace.” Grace is obviously available to all as God is no respecter of persons and is just. He doesn’t deprive anyone of grace, however, only those who are humble will choose to receive grace. By this fact God has defaulted to be at odds with the proud, by their choice. They set themselves at odds with God by their own stubborn pride and God acknowledges that He cannot give salvation to people by force.
Some other verses that seem to make God look bad:
- “I am the Lord God. I create good and evil”
- “Some vessels are created for destruction”
- “I set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life”
Yet “in Him there is no darkness” so how could He create evil? Because he gave us the ability to choose, therefore “some vessels are created for destruction” because they choose it. He did not create them with intention to destroy them but He knew that some will choose evil. Therefore it is sad that some are created at all if they choose destruction (hell).
