Satan's Humility

David Cook was voted the 2008 American Idol winner. With 54.6 million votes for him, Cook was deemed the winner. Imagine 54.6 million votes essentially telling you how great, wonderful, special, unique, fabulous, etc. you are. I think it is safe to say that it would be hard to be humble in the face of that sort of adulation. 54.6 million votes can’t be wrong about how great, wonderful, special, unique, fabulous, etc. you really are!
Charles Spurgeon, who is widely regarded as the Prince of Preachers, was standing at the backdoor of his church one morning after he had preached when this alleged exchange took place …
“A man came up to him, gushing and saying, "That was the greatest sermon I have ever heard! And you are the greatest preacher alive!" Spurgeon looked at the man and said, "Yes, the devil told me that ten minutes ago!" It would be hard to stay as humble as Spurgeon with even that one little bit of adulation!
It doesn’t matter if you have 54.6 million instances or just one instance of glowing remarks aimed at you, it is hard for most to stay humble at all times. God has given each of us specific gifts, and when these gifts are being sharpened, and the public sees them being put to good use, we usually get praise for these gifts. It may be speaking skills, or planning skills, or relational skills, or handyman skills, or cooking skills --- chances are that we will be praised for that skill and its outcome. It is hard to stay humble in the face of such remarks!
In Paul’s epistles, we read a good bit about many hardships he faced, but we also read of a few instances of him being showered with adulation. One instance is when Paul and Barnabas were in Lystra, and the people were so overcome by Paul and Barnabas’ miracle working that they started worshipping them as the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes – to the extent of wanting to offer sacrifices! Another instance is in 1 Corinthians, as Paul talks about people who are exclusively following him, or Apollos, or Cephas. How did Paul handle such praise?
We find his very humble answer in 1 Corinthians 11.1, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Paul knew that every good and admirable thing in him wasn’t of his own doing – it was of the grace of God shown in Christ. No matter how convincing his sermons were … or the vast ministry of his missionary journeys … or his collecting money for the poor … or taking a young pastor as his mentor … Paul knew that this was all a gift of the good Lord. Not his doing, but the Lord’s. Therefore, he told the churches in Corinth that they could look to him and imitate, but only because his main goal in life was to point people to Christ.
That is what Christian humility does – it longs that God alone gets the glory for all things. It points away from self, and points to God. What Christian humility does NOT do is point towards self. Why? Because who is self? It is someone who is fallen … a sinner … totally depraved … spiritually dead. What good can come from that? When we try to take credit for any good, then we are only pointing someone away from Christ, and, often, we try to point them towards our self. What can we do better than Christ? Why would we rather have someone look to us than to Christ?
The answer to this question is easy – Satan. Satan loves nothing more than to have any and all attention turned away from Christ. He loves to see broken and fallen people try and act as if they are better than Christ. Why? Because, if you aren’t looking to Christ, then you are easier prey for Satan. And, if you aren’t pointing towards Christ, then you inevitably point towards something that Satan can use against Christ.
It can be one instance, or it can 54.6 million instances --- either way, humility can be slippery in our sinful hands and hearts. We each need to take on the manner of Paul, and be so enthralled with Christ that we can tell others to look to us, because we will always point them towards Christ. We need to have the attitude of Spurgeon, who knew that personal adulation can be a tool of Satan. It is the Christian manner to be so enthralled and wrapped up in Christ alone, that when others look to us, they will see Christ, because that is our goal, our desire, and our life.
Soli Deo Gloria --- Pastor James