Humility Isn’t Thinking Less of Yourself

10/25/2026

Have you ever been in a conversation where you were so focused on what you wanted to say that you barely heard what the other person was saying? Maybe you were already preparing your response before they finished their sentence. Or perhaps you’ve found yourself doing something good for someone, but deep down, you were hoping they would notice and appreciate what you had done. I think if we’re willing to be honest, we’ve all been there. It’s amazing how easily our desire to be right, recognized, or appreciated can creep into even the best of intentions. And sometimes, the hardest person to get out of the way is ourselves.

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
- Philippians 2:3 ESV

There’s something about this verse that makes me a little uncomfortable. Not because I disagree with it, but because I know how easily I can fall short of living it.

Paul doesn’t say to occasionally put others first when it’s convenient. He doesn’t suggest that we practice humility when people deserve it or when we’re likely to receive something in return. He says to do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit. Nothing. That’s a pretty high standard.

And before we start thinking about all the people we know who need to hear this verse, perhaps we ought to ask ourselves how well we’re living it.

Paul wrote these words to believers in Philippi, a church he loved deeply. They weren’t necessarily doing terrible things. In fact, there was much about this church that brought him joy. But Paul understood something about human nature. Even among people who genuinely love Jesus, pride can quietly work its way into our relationships.

Sometimes it looks like wanting credit for something we’ve accomplished. Other times, it’s insisting on having the final word in an argument. It can show up when we become frustrated because someone doesn’t recognize our sacrifice or when we secretly compare our accomplishments to someone else’s.

And here’s where it gets particularly challenging. We can actually do things for God while being motivated by something other than God.

We can serve because we want to be noticed. We can give because we want to be appreciated. We can lead because we enjoy being in charge. We can even help someone while quietly believing we’re a little better than they are.

The activity might be good, but the heart behind it needs some attention.

I think that’s why Paul takes this conversation further in the verses that follow. In Philippians 2:5, he tells us to have the same mind among ourselves that belongs to us in Christ Jesus. Then he describes how Jesus, although fully God, willingly humbled Himself and took the form of a servant.

Think about that for a minute.

The One who deserved all honor, glory, and worship chose to serve people who would misunderstand Him, reject Him, betray Him, and ultimately crucify Him.

Jesus didn’t serve because He needed anyone’s approval. He didn’t wash His disciples’ feet hoping they would recognize how wonderful He was. He served because that’s who He is.

And that’s the kind of humility Paul is calling us to demonstrate.

There’s a distinction I think we need to understand. Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less.

God doesn’t want you walking around believing you’re worthless or insignificant. After all, He created you in His image, gifted you with purpose, and loved you enough to send His Son to die for you. Your value isn’t in question.

But neither is the value of the person standing across from you.

That person who frustrates you at work? Made in God’s image.

The spouse who doesn’t always see things your way? Deeply loved by God.

The person whose political opinions make absolutely no sense to you? Someone Jesus died for.

The individual who can’t do anything for you in return? Just as valuable to God as you are.

And when we begin seeing people through that lens, something changes.

We become more willing to listen instead of interrupting. We become quicker to apologize instead of defending ourselves. We start looking for opportunities to encourage someone rather than waiting for someone to encourage us.

Now, I don’t want us to misunderstand what Paul is teaching. Counting others more significant than ourselves doesn’t mean allowing people to mistreat us or refusing to establish healthy boundaries. Jesus demonstrated extraordinary humility, but He also confronted wrongdoing, spoke truth, and sometimes walked away from those who rejected Him.

Humility doesn’t require us to abandon wisdom or truth. It requires us to abandon the belief that everything revolves around us.

And I’ll tell you something else. This is especially important for those of us who lead, whether that’s in our homes, our churches, our businesses, or our communities.

Leadership can become a dangerous place for pride if we’re not careful. People begin looking to us for answers. They value our opinions. They thank us for what we do. And somewhere along the way, we can begin believing our own importance.

But Jesus showed us that the greatest leader is the one willing to serve.

Sometimes the most Christlike thing a leader can do is admit they were wrong. Sometimes it’s stepping aside so someone else can succeed. And sometimes it’s doing something that nobody will ever know about except God.

I wonder how many of our relationships would improve if we approached them with one simple question:

What would it look like to put this person’s needs ahead of my desire to be right, recognized, or appreciated?

Imagine what that could do for a marriage. Imagine how it might change a disagreement between friends. Think about how differently our churches would function if we were more concerned about serving one another than getting our own way.

Paul isn’t asking us to become doormats. He’s inviting us to become more like Jesus.

And becoming more like Jesus means allowing the Holy Spirit to confront the pride that sometimes hides behind our good intentions.

The wonderful thing is that we don’t have to manufacture this humility on our own. As we spend time with Christ, surrender our attitudes to Him, and allow His Spirit to work in us, He begins changing not only what we do but why we do it.

That’s where genuine transformation happens.

Because the goal isn’t simply to appear humble in front of other people.

The goal is to have a heart that looks more and more like Jesus, even when nobody is watching.

Action Steps

1. Examine your motives. Before doing something for someone today, ask yourself whether you’re serving out of love or hoping for recognition. Be honest with God about what you discover.

2. Practice putting someone else first. Look for an opportunity to listen without interrupting, surrender a personal preference, or help someone without expecting anything in return.

3. Invite God to reveal hidden pride. Spend a few minutes in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to show you where selfish ambition, comparison, or the desire for approval may be influencing your decisions.

Challenge for the Day

Do something meaningful for someone today without telling anyone, expecting recognition, or looking for anything in return. Let your only motivation be to reflect the heart of Jesus.

Prayer

Father, I know there are times when pride gets in the way of the person You’ve called me to be. Sometimes I want to be right more than I want to understand. Sometimes I want recognition more than I want to serve. Forgive me for those moments. Help me see others the way You see them, with love, dignity, and compassion. Teach me to lead with humility, serve without expecting anything in return, and examine my motives even when my actions appear good. Lord, I don’t just want to do things for You. I want to do them with You and become more like You in the process. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Pastor Jeff

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