"...dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you"
“So, chosen by God for the new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense...” (Colossians 3:12-13, MSG)
So much more than what we say or do, the kind of people we are is what people remember about us and makes a difference in their lives. As Dallas Willard notes in "Personal Soul Care," the most influential misters in his past he remembers for who they are rather than what they said to him.
In my own life I have noticed this as well. When someone lacks character, I discount what they say and don't really listen to them. However, when I deeply admire a person for who they are because of their character, I seek out what they have to say and everything I observe about them (both what they say and do) influences my life.
Dallas Willard writes, God is deeply concerned with our character. Humility and quiet strength (an indomitable will) are two character traits John Ortberg writes in a recent “Leadership Weekly” article that are common and key characteristics to truly transformational leaders.1 Humility reflects dependence upon God and an indomitable will reflects confidence in God. As my "Lead Like Jesus" devotional notes, the result of having these two characteristics is also deeper intimacy with God.2
According to Ortberg, a surrendered will and a weak will are fundamentally different. They come from different motivations. A surrendered will demonstrates meekness based upon confidence in God whereas a weak will demonstrates a lack of confidence in God.
As Pastor Dave notes in his book, “Joy Comes In The Mourning,” “meekness is power under control.” Meekness comes “by continually relinquishing control" He writes, "Becoming meek does not mean that you turn into a man or woman who lacks conviction. It certainly does not imply that you will never take a strong stand.”3
Jesus is the perfect example of both humility and a surrendered will. In John 5:30, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." Jesus could take a strong stand because He was confidently trusting in and fully depending upon His Father.
Jesus did not retaliate when he suffered insults and threats. He did not defend Himself. At the same time, Jesus never caved into pressure or became discouraged and gave up. Jesus continually stood for what He believed in despite insults, threats to stone Him and His eventual death on the cross.
Jesus was not intimidated by people. As Ortberg writes, “it required a tremendous exertion of moral courage to defy power and authorities and influences that tugged on him from all sides trying to divert him from his calling.”
However, as Ortberg notes, an indomitable will is not the same as stubbornness. Stubbornness has to do with pride and demanding one's own way at the expense of others. He also notes it is not the same as egoism, which seeks to gain control for one's own gratification. Stubbornness and egoism have to do with a self orientation rather than a God-orientation. They are seeking to exalt self rather than God.
Ortberg writes, "At its heart, an indomitable will involves a sense of commitment; a binding of oneself to a task or a cause or a value so intensely that mere external forces are not allowed to sway or deter. At its best, in the words of Gerald May, it involves not willfulness but willingness—a giving of my will in the service of a greater mission."
Someone with godly characteristics of an indomitable will and humility is willing to sacrifice self interest for kingdom interest, unmovable in their service to others, even at great sacrifice. The result is glorification of God rather than self. This is true "greatness" in the kingdom sense according to C.J. Mahaney in his book "Humility: True Greatness." Whereas, in the world's perspective of greatness individuals are "motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency as they pursue their own ambitions for the purpose of self-glorification.4
Lord, sometimes I become confused about the difference between humility and meekness versus weakness. Sometimes, I speak up and defend myself when I really need to suffer quietly and die to my own self interests. In these times, my heart is set on self-interest rather than kingdom interests. Other times, I give into other's desires rather than standing strong in the convictions in my heart or I ignore that there is an issue and fail to speak up about it. This is based in fear or a desire not to have conflict. It is weakness rather than meekness. Correct me when I go astray and direct my steps according to Your word. I long to glorify You in all I do.
1. Ortberg, John, “The Strong-Willed Leader.” Leadership Weekly. Christianity Today. 9/22/09.
2. Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, Tennessee. 2008
3. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes in The Mourning. Christian Publications, Inc. 1998
4. Mahaney, C.J, Humility: True Greatness. Sovereign Grace Ministries. 2005
So much more than what we say or do, the kind of people we are is what people remember about us and makes a difference in their lives. As Dallas Willard notes in "Personal Soul Care," the most influential misters in his past he remembers for who they are rather than what they said to him.
In my own life I have noticed this as well. When someone lacks character, I discount what they say and don't really listen to them. However, when I deeply admire a person for who they are because of their character, I seek out what they have to say and everything I observe about them (both what they say and do) influences my life.
Dallas Willard writes, God is deeply concerned with our character. Humility and quiet strength (an indomitable will) are two character traits John Ortberg writes in a recent “Leadership Weekly” article that are common and key characteristics to truly transformational leaders.1 Humility reflects dependence upon God and an indomitable will reflects confidence in God. As my "Lead Like Jesus" devotional notes, the result of having these two characteristics is also deeper intimacy with God.2
According to Ortberg, a surrendered will and a weak will are fundamentally different. They come from different motivations. A surrendered will demonstrates meekness based upon confidence in God whereas a weak will demonstrates a lack of confidence in God.
As Pastor Dave notes in his book, “Joy Comes In The Mourning,” “meekness is power under control.” Meekness comes “by continually relinquishing control" He writes, "Becoming meek does not mean that you turn into a man or woman who lacks conviction. It certainly does not imply that you will never take a strong stand.”3
Jesus is the perfect example of both humility and a surrendered will. In John 5:30, Jesus says, "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me." Jesus could take a strong stand because He was confidently trusting in and fully depending upon His Father.
Jesus did not retaliate when he suffered insults and threats. He did not defend Himself. At the same time, Jesus never caved into pressure or became discouraged and gave up. Jesus continually stood for what He believed in despite insults, threats to stone Him and His eventual death on the cross.
Jesus was not intimidated by people. As Ortberg writes, “it required a tremendous exertion of moral courage to defy power and authorities and influences that tugged on him from all sides trying to divert him from his calling.”
However, as Ortberg notes, an indomitable will is not the same as stubbornness. Stubbornness has to do with pride and demanding one's own way at the expense of others. He also notes it is not the same as egoism, which seeks to gain control for one's own gratification. Stubbornness and egoism have to do with a self orientation rather than a God-orientation. They are seeking to exalt self rather than God.
Ortberg writes, "At its heart, an indomitable will involves a sense of commitment; a binding of oneself to a task or a cause or a value so intensely that mere external forces are not allowed to sway or deter. At its best, in the words of Gerald May, it involves not willfulness but willingness—a giving of my will in the service of a greater mission."
Someone with godly characteristics of an indomitable will and humility is willing to sacrifice self interest for kingdom interest, unmovable in their service to others, even at great sacrifice. The result is glorification of God rather than self. This is true "greatness" in the kingdom sense according to C.J. Mahaney in his book "Humility: True Greatness." Whereas, in the world's perspective of greatness individuals are "motivated by self-interest, self-indulgence, and a false sense of self-sufficiency as they pursue their own ambitions for the purpose of self-glorification.4
Lord, sometimes I become confused about the difference between humility and meekness versus weakness. Sometimes, I speak up and defend myself when I really need to suffer quietly and die to my own self interests. In these times, my heart is set on self-interest rather than kingdom interests. Other times, I give into other's desires rather than standing strong in the convictions in my heart or I ignore that there is an issue and fail to speak up about it. This is based in fear or a desire not to have conflict. It is weakness rather than meekness. Correct me when I go astray and direct my steps according to Your word. I long to glorify You in all I do.
1. Ortberg, John, “The Strong-Willed Leader.” Leadership Weekly. Christianity Today. 9/22/09.
2. Blanchard, Ken and Hodges, Phil. Lead Like Jesus. Thomas Nelson, Inc. Nashville, Tennessee. 2008
3. Johnson, David with Allen, Tom. Joy Comes in The Mourning. Christian Publications, Inc. 1998
4. Mahaney, C.J, Humility: True Greatness. Sovereign Grace Ministries. 2005
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