What humility is not

I want to spend a few days talking about humility. I shared with the church family on Sunday and in a recent blog that I feel my greatest need is for more humility. It's funny because several people have told me that they feel that is my greatest asset, my humility. The more I study it, the more I realize that I am not humble by any means. Humility is not what we think it is. In the world's eyes we may be humble, but the true measure is where we fit on that scale in God's eyes.
Humility is not denying that we are great at something. It is not putting our head down and saying, "Oh that was nothing, or I had nothing to do with it" when someone sends praises your way. It also is not measured according to how you do as opposed to others.
Humility is not measured man to man. If you measure anything you do, in any way towards what man is doing there is no humility in that. Yes, I do think I am more humble than most. Yes I do feel that I do my best to draw attention away from me, and point people towards Christ. Yes, I do long for people to remember the words of Christ and not my own. And in the very statement of such things is my lack of humility. I know a lot of pastors who walk around in their suits, with their hairspray and cologne on. Wearing their expensive shoes, watches and cufflinks. I'm not one of them, therefore I am clearly more humble than they are. I know a lot of pastors that would never go on a youth camp trip and room with other kids, spend the whole night hanging out and listening to them and watching sports with them. I know of a lot of pastors that would never climb in a van that has a rusted top, seats falling apart, and won't go over 60 and pick kids up in the worst parts of town just so that those kids have an opporunity to experience Christ for one hour every WEdnesday night. I know of a lot of pastors who would have taken a job at a small church such as Freedom, and immediately put their name on the sign as prompted by everyone as if that is the key to growing a church. I am clearly more humble than they are. I'm sure you will agree.
There's our human problem. We measure flesh versus flesh and take our crown of humility for the fact that we are more humble than those around us. I can go on and on telling you examples of how humble I truly am, and in doing so I am telling you my weakness is humility and I'm using the wrong scale.
In Mark 9 the disciples are arguing over who is the greatest. Jesus tells them to be greatest they must become a slave to all. At this time a slave was the lowest form of all humanity, and Jesus tells them to be humble in the world's eyes is to become the least of all humanity. BUt, to become great in God's eyes is truly to become the least of all humanity.
Humility, have you got it? Do you really know what it is, and how to measure it? I want to share that with you over the next few days.