In 1783, after the American Revolution, George Washington stood before Congress and voluntarily resigned his military commission.

Many expected Washington to become America’s ruler. In fact, King George III reportedly remarked that if Washington willingly gave up power and returned to private life, “he will be the greatest man in the world.”

Washington could have clung to power. Instead, he willingly surrendered it. His greatness was seen not in grasping for position, but in giving it up.

The world celebrates those who climb higher. Love admires those who are willing to stoop lower.

In our continuing series from 1 Corinthians 13 on the characteristics of love, the Bible says, “Love is not puffed up.” This rendering comes from the literal meaning of the Greek word, “to inflate” or “to puff up.” Dr. A. T. Robertson says it means “to puff oneself up like a pair of bellows.”

Other versions render the word “not arrogant” or “not proud.” The Message, a paraphrase, says that love “doesn’t have a swelled head.” In his Daily Bible Study Series, William Barclay writes that “love is not inflated with its own importance.”

This quality is closely connected with the previous prohibition, “Love does not brag.” In his commentary on 1 Corinthians, Mike Willis correctly observes that the former condemns an action, while this warning “condemns the attitude from which bragging erupts.”

Bragging is the outward expression. Pride is the inward attitude. Love rejects both.

Genuine humility is often demonstrated not by what we gain, but by what we’re willing to give up—as George Washington demonstrated. One unknown writer succinctly said, “Pride grasps for position. Love gladly serves.”

Love that is not arrogant or proud…

• Remains teachable.
• Shares the credit.
• Acknowledges its weaknesses.
• Admits its mistakes.
• Seeks forgiveness.
• Welcomes feedback.
• Elevates others.
• Listens to learn.
• Serves others.

In reflecting on the attitude of humility and its behavior, I was reminded of a story Gary Henry related about Sewell Hall, who recently passed away.

Gary was preaching in a meeting in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts. He said Sewell and his wife visited one evening when he was preaching on heaven.

During the lesson, Gary referenced Sewell’s Florida College lecture, “They Shall See His Face,” and remarked, “If you didn’t want to go to heaven before, you certainly did the night you heard that lecture.”

The next morning at breakfast, Gary recalled that Sewell graciously thanked him for his remarks, then said, “You know, Gary, as a preacher, I am surprised to find out that someone actually remembers something I’ve preached. It just goes to show how careful we ought to be.”

Gary observed that Sewell “wasn’t merely striking a humble pose. He meant it.”

The attitude that shuns pride and refuses to boast must be rooted in the One whom we serve—the Lord Jesus Christ.

The greatest example of humility is Jesus Himself. Though He was “the fullness of Deity” in bodily form (Col. 2:9), He wasn’t full of Himself. The Bible describes Him as “meek,” “gentle and lowly,” and One who did not regard equality with God as something to be grasped.

Paul offers this exhortation to Christians in Philippians 2:5-8:

“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.”

When we love Jesus and learn to love like Jesus, pride gives way to humility, boasting is replaced with gratitude, and self is displaced by service.

In the words of the 17th-century English poet Francis Quarles, “If thou desire the love of God and man, be humble; for the proud heart, as it loves none but itself, so it is beloved of none.”

—Ken Weliever, The Preacherman