Humiliation. This is a term that I have come to know well in my life. This can happen by silly things we do, say, or in ways that we act. It can happen by the way others tend to sometimes make us feel. Humiliation is one of those things that if you have breath in your lungs, you’re going to feel it at one point or another. It’s not very pretty. It’s not very fair, but what if humiliation is something of beauty? Something that is needed?

“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” Acts 8:32-33.

Have you ever taken the time to slow down and really meditate upon this scene? Christ, the perfect, experienced every emotion and temptation possible to man, including humiliation, at the most highest degree. His nakedness was humiliating, the cross was humiliating, and the most humiliating moment came when he was stripped of his justice as the Son of God. No rights. No dignity. No power. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:8-11). His humiliation bore a movement that, in the end, will shake every human on this planet to the core, whether they be lost, or part of the found.

We are asked to follow his lead. We are asked to endure humility on this earth so that the people in our lives will always feel the welcoming arms of Jesus. We are asked to turn the other cheek, go two miles when we are forced to go one, give to those who ask, and when our enemies seeks our humiliation, we are to love them. When is the last time you have allowed yourself to be humiliated in this way?

Once, one of the most God fearing, Jesus loving, Gospel sharing amazing women of God  shared this with me,

“I’d rather be where I am right now completely humiliated and struggling than where I used to be and simply not care.”

Her husband committed adultery with a minor, her wealth was taken away, and was forced to live in her car. It took ultimate humiliation to completely break her heart so it could be filled with Jesus, so she could radiate him to others, like me, and so many others. Shouldn’t we all be willing to endure some humiliation so we too can cling harder to the promise? So we too can demonstrate the peace and power of God to the darkness in this world?

I struggle with being comfortable, and it is something I have really been struggling with lately due to an upcoming move. I’m more focused on the new comforts of moving rather than the mission I have in Christ. I’m in need of a dose of humility. I need to remember the words of Christ when he says the first shall be last, and the last first.

My challenge to myself, and to you all as we reflect on our own pride and humility is to strive to allow yourself room for humiliation a bit more, and pull back from the front of that line we tend to find ourselves shoving our way towards.

Ashley Hudson https://start2finish.org/