Ten Suggestions on how to clothe yourself in humility

Someone sent me to this YouTube link of Mark Driscoll sharing ten suggestions on how to practically clothe yourself in humility. Driscoll blesses me anyway, even in his famous (or infamous) rants, but this was especially refreshing! If you hate Driscoll, please look beyond the messenger to the message. It’s worth the 6 minutes or so. I’ve summarized the ten suggestions below from the video with some of my own elaborations, and some of his that were simply too good not to put in print. Others speak nicely for themselves.


Follow the truth wherever it leads.
If it leads you to change your church, change your mind, admit you are wrong, admit others are right…

Invite and pursue correction and counsel.
Usually correction is something we only want to give to others...but wise people love receiving it, even gift-wrapped under the tree -- especially from other wise people (as opposed to wise guys).

Learn from everyone.
Religious and irreligious, Calvinist and Arminian, dogmatic and mystic, Rohr and Piper; maintain a wide  bandwidth; read across that bandwidth not to disprove, but to learn. Humility assumes there is always something to learn, and the greatest lessons will often come from voices we normally would never listen to…and also learn from the idiots who criticize you, if only how to grow in greater grace and patience. Remember, it was an ass that finally got through to Balaam...

Repent quickly and thoroughly.

Seek and celebrate God’s grace in other people.
Yes, even people outside of your church, theological, ethnic, political, socio-econmic or racial grouping…

Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness.

Listen to Scripture more than yourself.
This one is really tricky, especially since our major tendency is to listen to Scripture for others as we keep hearing the same message we’ve programmed into our head confirmed there over and over again; let God in His Word challenge your well-worn doctrinal ruts…stop replaying the same favorites.

Exalt the name of Jesus in all you do.

Laugh.
Proud people cannot laugh – especially at themselves. Proud people have no sense of humor. We need to know that we are ridiculous. “How dare you mock me!” I have to, you’re ridiculous! The material is begging for use!

Sleep.
Proud people don’t sleep well. They’re worried, “How will this work out? What are people thinking? What are people saying? What are people doing? How are people perceiving me? How are people responding to me? What do people want from me? What will be the result for me?” They are so worried. Reminds me of the cartoon – the husband late at night refusing to come to bed because there are more errors to correct in these blog comments!

Humble people seek to honor Jesus in others. They know they are in process. They know they have not arrived. As a result, they go to bed and sleep well, simply acknowledging that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, and eventually Jesus will work it all out. It’s time for me to sleep in faith.