GRANDEUR COMES WITH THE TERRITORY OF BEING A KING. Comfort, privilege, adulation. And what if a king is appointed by divine decree, because he has been forever linked to the eternal King? It's perhaps understandable that the life of such royalty should warrant even more than the usual pomp and circumstance.
But quite the opposite happened with Christ Jesus, the promised Messiah who would come to be known as "King of the Jews." The life of this king was anything but overplayed. His beginnings were humble. And his life remained so. He carried this humility with him as he lived out his divinely royal mission. The greatness of this king could be measured not simply by his human accomplishments, or by those of his followers, but by the humility that Jesus was born into and continued to live and teach throughout his life.
Humility enters Jesus' story early, as is seen in the nativity. In this simple drama, three of the main players were considered very low on society's scale: a shepherd, a woman, and a baby. When the angel announced to Mary that she would be mother to the Messiah, she vowed to serve the Lord in whatever capacity she could, and even referred to herself as a slave, or "the handmaid of the Lord." Luke 1:38.
When the time came for Jesus to be born, and unable after a several days' journey to find any lodging in Bethlehem, Mary and her husband, Joseph, took shelter in a hillside cavern where livestock bedded down. It was there that Mary gave birth to Jesus. His first crib was nothing more than a manger—a stone feeding trough, though probably lined with fragrant straw. Although traditional artists portray a cozy picture, reality points more to a scene of poverty. The "King of the Jews" was born not in a palace, but in a cave.
Upon the birth of a boy in those days, there was traditionally a feast attended by friends and family who gathered around the newborn, while musicians announced the happy news to the neighborhood. Although the baby Jesus received a warm welcome, it was not accompanied by the typical fanfare. Those who visited the newborn king came from the fringes of Bethlehem—local peasant shepherds, not known for their manners or hygiene. In fact, along with swineherds and tanners, a shepherd's very occupation was considered unclean. And yet it was they who were humble and alert enough to hear and see the glorious announcement in those heavens that were so quiet and still.
Armed with such a remarkable story, most mothers would tell their friends and relatives of it for many a day. But there is no record of Mary ever boasting to others of angels, grand visitors from the East, or beautiful gifts. Instead, she pondered deeply the manger and the shepherds. And this quiet contemplation became a habit for Mary. It was the kind of family atmosphere in which her son would grow up.
When Jesus was 12, he and his parents left their modest town of Nazareth to attend a festival in Jerusalem. Eager for knowledge, the boy took advantage of a unique opportunity to search for answers from the wise scholars there. But it was they who stood in awe of him; Jesus' insight amazed the teachers. And even though he caught a glimpse of his own abilities at that young age and recognized his divine relationship with his heavenly Father, he returned home to resume his formative years in obedience to his parents. It was probably now evident to the whole family that God was playing a major role in their development. And though Mary didn't fully comprehend her son's venture out into the world of scholarship, or his explanation for doing so, she simply stored it away, as was her custom—one of his precious sayings to be pondered and delighted in. One day it would be made clear to her.
Jesus was raised by models of humility and obedience to God. Perhaps no one outside the family knew a child of such promise was living and growing up in the house down the street. People in Nazareth, a town that had never boasted of famous citizens, were certainly surprised when they were told that it was Jesus, a local carpenter, who had spoken wise words in their synagogue and performed wonderful healings. Apparently, neither Mary nor Joseph had ever let on. If the Messiah had been in the townspeople's midst all those years, it was news to them.
"Should you ask me, What is the first thing in religion? I should reply, the first, second and third thing therein—nay, all is humility."—Augustine
In his roles as teacher and student, Jesus described himself as "meek and lowly in heart," Matt. 11:29. qualities he recommended that each of his students develop, as well. Humility is the spirit of teachableness, of receptivity, of complete dependence on God. Humility was so important to Jesus that it was first on his list of character traits for a good student to nurture. He introduced his Sermon on the Mount with the injunction "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matt. 5:3.
Because pride was often a temptation for his students, Jesus presented the concept of humility in various ways. He often reminded them that he had come to serve, not to be served. St. Paul described Jesus as God's "bondservant," See Phil. 2:7 (NKJV, 1982). ready to carry out any and all duties associated with that position.
One of Jesus' final illustrations of humility occurred at his last supper with his disciples. He had told them he came to serve, and now he would demonstrate that service in a way that would impress the lesson on their hearts so they would never forget. That evening no servants were present in the borrowed room. So the men, perhaps feeling rather important as disciples of this well-known teacher, preferred to recline at their meal with dusty feet rather than stoop to the menial job of washing them. But knowing that their feet needed to be washed, Jesus removed his outer garment, wrapped the servant's towel around his waist, and poured the water from the water pot waiting at the door. There he stooped, washing the feet of those who perhaps should have been washing his. He had fed the multitudes, walked on water, and raised the dead, but here he showed his followers that there was nothing too lowly for their Master.
After he had finished, Jesus put his lesson into words. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet." John 13:14. He could see that their petty rivalries could mean the downfall of a fledgling movement. So he showed them that no one, not even Jesus Christ, could attain an honor that would prevent him from serving his fellow human beings in the lowliest capacity.
From his birth to his final moments on earth, Jesus' life was impelled by meekness. It was the standard for what today could be called Christian humility. But more than just a human quality, humility has its basis in the Christ-spirit that Jesus so perfectly expressed. I believe it's why Jesus was able to love his enemies, heal, and ultimately inspire millions of followers. His life was a testament to his own words: "He that shall humble himself shall be exalted." Matt. 23:12. And it's humility in its deepest and most spiritual sense that allows each individual to respond to the touch of the Christ.
