5 Simple Phrases That Will Transform Your Path To A Humble Heart

I’m typing this on a plane, flying back from the great privilege of talking to some wonderful college students.

I talked about what I called The Miracle of Humility.

I called it a miracle because, let’s face it, how likely is it to find true humility in our current culture? I gave them three reasons for it’s almost absolute extinction:

1. Our basic human instinct is pride.
2. Our country/culture is built on and rewards pride.
3. The algorithm ferociously bats away any and all suggestions of our possible ignorance.

So, the chips are pretty much stacked against us. But, as always, JESUS!!!

He is always our blessed example on how to live a life of peace and rest that would stand out in a culture of pride, fear, and anxiety. So I challenged them to do as the Apostle Paul challenged us all to do:

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

– Philippians 2:5-8

“Made himself of no reputation”

Whoa!

Can you imagine that? In this current culture? When every single person with an Instagram considers themselves an influencer or a ‘brand?’ It would be different. It would be freeing!

Brant recently mentioned on the show a phrase that has stuck with me:

We can trust God with our reputation.

To that end I gave the students a few ‘humility hacks.’ These are phrases I give myself permission to use to keep my ego in check. The caveat is that they must be used with a “period” and not a “comma.” Hopefully, these are helpful to you, too:

I am sorry.

I am wrong.

I don’t know.

I forgive them.

I will wait.

Tell me more.

These phrases help me cultivate the fruit of the Spirit in my life. They help me not to be defensive and self-protective. My prayer is the students were challenged in a way that gives them a head start on the pathway to humility which inevitably guarantees them a lifetime of God’s grace and favor.

“But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:“God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” – James 4:6

Sherri Lynn
Midday Show Host, STAR 99.1