A Humble Spirit
There seems to be a test for everything. Disease, knowledge, IQ. What’s your HQ (humility quotient)? In Paul’s introduction to the Roman believers he shows humility in his spiritual service. (Read verse) Paul did not have solely a one-way blessing in mind. Although highly gifted and greatly used of God, he did not see himself above being able to be spiritually edified by other believers, no matter how far along they were in their Christian life.
Paul had a humble spirit. The person serving God with a humble spirit never has a feeling of spiritual superiority & never lords it over those they serve in Christ’s name.
• Paul warned elders not to “lord it over…” (1 Peter 5:3-4) and everyone else (v.5)
• Paul didn’t see himself as a know-it-all, (Phil. 3:12-14). He was eager to be spiritually helped by all believers in the Roman church, young as well as old, mature as well as immature.
“comforted together” - To be encouraged together; to be mutually encouraged; to be strengthened and consoled together. Paul expected to be taught and strengthened by the believers as well as teach and strengthen them.
We are a family. The family of God is to care for and learn from one another.
List of “one-anothers”
• John 13:31 – love one-another
• Rom. 12:10 – kindly affectioned… Gk. philos, a familial kind of love
• Rom. 15:7 – receive one-another (means: to receive a person as a friend, instant bond between believers)
• Rom. 15:14 – Admonish one-another (caution, reprove, put in mind, warn)
• Gal. 5:13 – serve one-another (from doulos, slave, servant)
• Eph. 4:2 – forbearing one-another (lit. “put up with” “endure”)
• Eph. 4:32 – forgiving one-another
We all have something to learn, as well as something to offer one another in the Christian life. True spiritual service should be marked by humility. It is unfortunate not only that many learned and gifted leaders in the church think they are above learning from or being helped by younger and less-experienced believers but also unfortunate that less-experienced believers often feel they have nothing to offer their leaders.
When he was about to board a ship to India to begin missionary service there, some of William Carey’s friends asked if he really wanted to go through with his plans. Expressing his great desire for their support in prayer, he is said to have replied, "I will go down [into the pit itself] if you will hold the rope" (S. Pearce Carey William Carey [London: The Carey Press, 1934], pp. 117-18).
