Jesus redefines humility.

Lectionary passages for March 29, Palm Sunday.Isaiah 50:4-9, Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 11:1-11

I'm on a learning curve, except it isn't a curve. I have to learn how to market a book that I've just self published and I know nothing about sales. My "learning curve" is a perpendicular line!

Part of the problem is this weird thing called humility. As a Canadian, a community minded person, and a Mennonite, I've grown up with the idea that "blowing your own horn" or showing pride in your work was always negative. Being humble was equated with being quiet, self-less, and background. Well, quiet and background isn't going to sell enough books for me to break even on this rather large investment!

I think my understanding, my definition of humility, is at fault.

The story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem helps to define humbleness. Here is a man who is God's son. The crowds are ready to proclaim him Messiah. When Jesus enters town, he does so on a colt that he has "commandeered", a prerogative of kings. (Kings ride animals that they have exclusive use of....hence Jesus is described as riding a colt that had never been ridden.) Being entitled to take it doesn't strike me as particularly "humble". It's also not particularly humble that he accepts the accolades of the crowd, rides in across their cloaks, and accepts the Hosannas and the invocation of the revered King David's name and the declaration that he rides in the name of the Lord! (Just in case you think-oh, but riding on a donkey is humble-the gospel of Mark only says colt. This might be a horse! The donkey image comes from the gospels of Matthew and John both of which were written later than Mark.They pull the donkey image from Zechariah 9:9, but Mark does not do this. So....likely it was a donkey, but if we want to stick just with Mark's account, it could be a horse!)

The humble thing isn't so much how Jesus acts. The humble part is why he acts, his motivation. He knows that he is riding toward his death (Mark 10:32-45). What Jesus does is not in his own interest, but to better the lives of others. "For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

In Philippians, Paul is putting the Jesus kind of humility into practice in the life of the church. There is evidence that the Philippians are experiencing conflict in their fellowship. There is dissension between two faithful women (4:2-3), wrong-headed preaching that tries to reinstate old ways (3:1-6), and possibly frustration with Paul's leadership (evidenced by his strident calls for unity-see Fred Craddock, Interpretation, p. 35) Into the turmoil, Paul speaks humble words. "Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves." He goes on to remind the church of the example of service set by Christ. They are to think of each other and their witness, not their own ambition or preferences.

Humility is the honest attempt to see something from the other's point of view, to think about the greater good of the whole instead of the desires of the individual.

I wonder what might happen if, in a church meeting where there are disagreements, if everyone attempted to argue from the point of view of someone they differed from? Would we gain in understanding? In humbleness? In gentleness?

Humility, in these passages, isn't about meekness, or quietness, or being in the background. It is all about concern for the other. Jesus was able to do this all the way to the cross. His gentleness and humility wasn't reciprocated, but he ended up doing what was to the greater good of us all. He set an example, a difficult example, that just might be a way to get through some of the problems that individualistic thinking creates!

How does all of this help me sell books? Well, it doesn't. It does, however, help me to rethink the definition of humility!

PS. By the way, if you're looking for a great children's book that subtly retells the Christmas story through some kids, a stray kitten, and a man who needs to connect with his community, I will humbly share "Thirty Bucks" with you! (And the pictures are fantastic!) You can see the book online at the Friesen's Press website under 'bookstore.'