The Humble Will Be Exalted: What Does This Paradox of Faith Mean?

As Christians, we're called to live humbly, recognizing that exalting ourselves can do no good in our spiritual lives. By embracing humility, we not only avoid the sin of self-centeredness but also open ourselves to divine blessings.

The Word of God teaches us that when we practice humility, we actually find exaltation, whereas self-promotion leads to humbling experiences. These concepts might seem contradictory at first, but in reality, they work together beautifully and can profoundly change us. 

The relationship between humility and exaltation can be called a paradox. On the surface, it might seem strange that those who humble themselves end up being exalted, as humility suggests staying low, while exaltation means being raised high. However, these seemingly opposing ideas are not contradictions.

In Matthew 23:12, we read Jesus teaching His followers that “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” This is a reminder toward them not to follow the examples of the Pharisees who exalt themselves by being pretentious and arrogant. Their emphasis on outward displays of piety is one of their pitfalls. 

While they love to be seen doing spiritual things from the outside, like praying or giving to others, the Pharisees’ internal motivations often centered on seeking human recognition and using adherence to the law to validate their self-worth. This tendency manifested in practices like making their phylacteries larger and lengthening the tassels on their clothing.

Jesus Hates Pretentiousness and Arrogance

The behavior of the Pharisees can best be described as pretentiousness, closely linked to hypocrisy. It involves professing moral standards or beliefs that one's actions do not align with, projecting an appearance of righteousness while harboring inner contradictions.

Another pitfall highlighted in Jesus' teachings was arrogance—a disposition characterized by an inflated sense of self-importance and superiority over others. Arrogant individuals often belittle others and dismiss their viewpoints.

The Pharisees had a penchant for seeking places of honor at gatherings and securing the best seats in synagogues. They relished public greetings and the prestigious title of "rabbi." Their desire for recognition is so high that they would go to great lengths just to receive it.

The root of the Pharisees' pretentiousness and arrogance lay in their belief that salvation depended on their works. They pretended to have perfected these works while falling short in reality. This pretentiousness stemmed from their conviction that they surpassed others in their adherence to the law. 

Self-Exaltation Inhibits Us From Loving As We Ought To

A heart filled with pretentiousness and arrogance can't genuinely love God. For those who aren't Christians, this mindset obstructs the acceptance of God's grace through Christ, as it falsely suggests self-sufficiency.

Similarly, it prevented the Pharisees from accepting Jesus because they believed they could achieve salvation through their own good works. For Christians, genuine humility is vital when approaching God, acknowledging that salvation comes through grace.

Pretentiousness and arrogance affect how we approach God and interact with others. They hinder heartfelt prayer, reliance on the Lord, and even active participation in worship services. 

A heart filled with pretentiousness and arrogance also impairs one's ability to selflessly love others, as it prioritizes the self over others. It hinders the sharing of the Gospel, engaging in fellowship, seeking and offering prayers for others, helping those who can't help you in return, and forgiving those who have wronged you.

In the end, an arrogant and pretentious heart negatively affects one's Christian life, hindering spiritual growth, loving relationships, and a genuine Christian testimony. This type of character will experience a form of discipline from the Lord. If we are exalting ourselves, we will indeed be humbled.

The Pharisees, who represented this mindset, were themselves humbled by Jesus who pronounced judgment toward them through eight woes. 

Matthew 23:13: "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you shut off the kingdom of heaven from people; for you do not enter in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in.

Being Humble is the Way We Christians Should Live 

True humility involves recognizing our reliance on God's grace rather than our own deeds. As Christians, we are saved by grace through faith, underscoring our dependence on God. Humility shifts the focus from self to Christ and others, resulting in a life characterized by gratitude and selflessness.

True humility isn't just a set of "don'ts"; it embodies love in action. It entails seeking God's kingdom and caring for others. As followers of Christ, we should continually embrace the paradox of humility, understanding that by bowing in humility, we rise to exaltation in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

Humility encompasses the idea of lowering oneself, being humble, or embracing a state of lowliness. It is an attitude, emphasizing its stark contrast with pride and arrogance. At its core, humility involves shifting our focus from "ME" to "Christ" and ultimately to "Others." It means understanding that our salvation hinges not on our ability to fulfill the law but on God's grace through faith. This foundational understanding sets the stage for humbling ourselves before God and others.

Ephesians 2:8-9: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

A crucial aspect of humility is acknowledging Jesus as our Master. This shift in perspective transforms how we approach worship, our relationship with God, and our interactions with others. Humility changes our worship experience, making it a heartfelt expression of gratitude to our Master for the blessings we've received. It eliminates the urge to boast about God's blessings, as we recognize that everything we have is a result of God's grace. 

Humility leads to unquestioning obedience to Jesus' commands to love others, viewing these commands as directives from our Master. It fuels active engagement in ministry, turning service into an act of devotion to our Master. Most importantly, humility removes pride from our Christian lives. We acknowledge that everything we have comes from our Master's kindness. 

Humility is a transformation of our attitudes and behaviors, manifesting as love in action, particularly love for God. We direct our thoughts and desires toward God, seeking alignment with His purpose. Keeping God's commandments becomes a tangible expression of our love for Him, devoid of arrogance. Humility stems from acknowledging that God loved us first, humbling us with the realization that His love precedes our actions.

True humility extends beyond our relationship with God; it shapes how we interact with others. It's best exemplified by selfless love, often referred to as "agape" love. Selfless love places the needs of others above our own, replacing "Me" with "Others."

1 Corinthians 13:4-6: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;

The Pharisees, steeped in pretentiousness and arrogance, failed to grasp the core of the law, which is grounded in love. Jesus emphasizes that seeking human recognition offers no additional reward from God. Instead, humble service becomes the pathway to divine reward.

Imitate Christ’s Humility 

By humbling ourselves, we follow the ultimate model of humility—Jesus Christ. In His humility, He became a servant and bore the cross, and through His humility, He was exalted by the Father by giving Him the name above every name. 

Philippians 2:5-11: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name.

Seeking recognition and praise is not a negative thing. The question is just where do you seek it? Do you seek it from people or do you seek it from God? The former would just proved to be vain and will only lead to arrogance and pretentiousness, while the latter will lead to humility and the right attitude of the heart. 

In our Christian lives, we should not imitate the example of the Pharisees who exalted themselves, only to be humbled by Christ. Instead, we should follow the example of Christ, who humbled Himself and exalted the Father.