Humility should be a hallmark of Christian character.  John Wesley says, “Humility, a right judgment of ourselves, cleanses our minds from those high conceits of our own perfections, from the undue opinions of our own abilities and attainments which are the genuine fruit of a corrupted nature” (Sermon 17, The Circumcision of the Heart, I.2).  Humility is the shift in your worldview that you are not actually the center of the universe.  Humility leads to repentance, a change in worldview where God is now the center.  This leads to faith, hope, and kindness towards others (all of which continue to be wrapped up in that all-enveloping quality of humility).

Even though we are all equals at the foot of the cross, Christian humility follows Paul’s instructions, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others” (Phl 2:3-4, NIV).  For Wesley, this was a “right state of soul,” and “a distinguishing mark of a true follower of Christ” (Sermon 17, 3).

I don’t need to fill the rest of this thought out with specific examples of Christian entitlement, because your headlines are full of them.  Humility recognizes that in order for God’s kingdom to grow, we must deny ourselves.  That is true everywhere Christians have a platform to share the love of Christ through humility, or to force our opinions upon others.  One way will lead to the transformation of the world through true discipleship.  The other way will most certainly lead to death.

 

P.S.  It’s known that John and Charles didn’t always agree, and sometimes got on each others nerves.  I like to think that maybe some of those brotherly bickerings helped each of them grow a little more in their understanding of true discipleship.