the cracked window of true humility

This might seem like it will be a post about basic humility. Perhaps on what humility is or how to be humble, maybe even naming 500 verses where humility is mentioned in the Bible. It isn't.

What I felt spurred on my heart today is about the kind of humility some of us maybe never realized was humility: The true humility of accepting salvation, and the false humility that blocks so many of us from freedom in Jesus' name.

False humility is something that can drive us to deny ourselves a gift - something offered to us freely - because we view ourselves as too unworthy of receiving it.

What does this false humility do?

It discounts the offering out of ignorance, as we naively consider the depth of our "lowliness" as more valuable than the gift being offered.

We would rather continue to reside in the pit than accept the rope that will help us out of it because the rope is too great for us to be allowed to hold.

Do you know who perfectly exemplifies the face of false humility - even if just for a moment? Peter in John 13.

In John 13:6-8 we read an interaction between Jesus and Peter in which Jesus wants to wash Peter's feet and Peter refuses.

Peter literally says "you shall never wash my feet" (verse 8).

Peter in his "humility" viewed Jesus as too great to wash his feet (which He is, duh) but Peter gets so obsessed with this fact that he thinks his denial of the feet washing is more correct than Jesus having offered it.

He was blinded by "humility" and almost missed out on the greatest gift EVER to be given!

We as humans fall into this trap often - especially those of us who don't love ourselves enough (yes, you need to love and value yourself to be a Christian - or functioning human in general - shocker I know. I have so many thoughts on that though for a later date). We think, "Jesus died for their sins, but how can I accept His death for my own sins? They are far too great, I am far too gone, too broken, too wretched... I can't accept His death for my sins it's a mar on the Cross".

By thinking this you are literally saying, "My weakness and flaws are worse than Jesus' forgiveness is great, the Cross is not enough for me".

Now, I know that is the opposite of what you intend, but intention doesn't always translate into reality. The reality is, no matter how much you love Jesus, if you are thinking this way, you are rejecting His work on the Cross in your own life.

You are rejecting freedom.

Your false humility is destroying you.

True humility on the other hand is being able to accept this gift - the work Jesus did on the Cross, the washing of our feet - as crazy and radical as it is (because it totally is), without question.

The Lord knows better than us!

Be truly humble, not false. Do not be blinded by your lowliness. Be instead blinded by how much greater His glory and perfection is than your weakness - your eyes belong on Him - not on yourself.

Do not allow false humility to block you from the freedom of His blood.

That is exactly what Satan wants - for you to be blocked from accepting the work Jesus did on the Cross. Don't let him twist your lack of self-love into bondage. Loving yourself and being humble do coincide.

Accept the gift that you do not deserve.

The One giving it knows better than us what He is doing.

He would not offer it if He didn't intend for us to accept it.

Accepting the gift you don't deserve cracks open the window into true humility.