Humilty (Proverbs 30)
Have you ever felt like Agur in Proverbs 30—overwhelmed, worn out, or just plain limited? He begins with honesty: “I am weary, O God… surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man.” Not exactly the way you’d expect a biblical writer to start! And yet, it’s refreshingly real.
Agur’s words help us see something important: humility begins with wonder.
The Wonder of Humility
Instead of hiding his weakness, Agur admits it. He confesses his limits and points us to the One who has no limits: Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has established the ends of the earth? The answer, of course, is God.
Humility doesn’t start with trying harder—it starts with wonder. When we pause to worship the God who is limitless, we see our own limits clearly. And strangely enough, this doesn’t push us away from God. It draws us closer. As Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians, God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.
Jesus himself shows us this kind of humility. Though he was in the form of God, he laid down his status, using his power not for himself, but for us.
The Request of Humility
Wonder naturally leads to prayer. Agur makes a simple, honest request:
“Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me…”
Why this prayer? Because both extremes—wealth and poverty—can draw our hearts away from God. Wealth tempts us to believe we don’t need him. Poverty tempts us to forget his goodness. Either way, pride creeps in.
So the humble heart prays, “Lord, keep me dependent on you. Give me what I need today. Help me to live in truth.”
The Path of Humility
But humility isn’t just something we feel—it’s a path we walk. In Philippians 2, Paul tells us not to live for selfish ambition but to “count others more significant than yourselves.” That’s the daily practice of humility: considering others first.
And yet, humility is more than just an ethic—it’s a person. Jesus didn’t only teach humility; he embodied it. He humbled himself to the point of death on a cross. And because he walked this path first, we can walk it too.
The cross of Jesus changed everything. In the ancient world, humility wasn’t considered a virtue. But through the death and resurrection of Christ, humility became not just admirable, but central to the Christian life.
Walking It Out
So what does this mean for us?
Start with wonder. Let God’s greatness remind you of your limits, and let those limits draw you closer to him.
Pray with honesty. Ask God to keep your heart dependent, not swayed by pride in plenty or despair in want.
Follow Jesus’ path. He humbled himself for you. Walking with him reshapes our hearts and melts our pride.
When we see Jesus—the Son whom Agur wondered about—we see true humility. And when we stay close to him, we can live humbly too.
Reflection Questions
Where in your life do you feel most aware of your limits right now? How might those limits be an invitation to worship instead of frustration?
Do you find yourself more tempted by pride in times of abundance or in times of need? Why?
What’s one practical way you can “count others more significant than yourself” this week?
How does looking at Jesus’ humility on the cross shape your own daily walk of humility?
More Details
