Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name. (Philippians 2:9)

Jesus Christ’s life provides the perfect example of humility. Though He was and is an eternal deity, Jesus humbled Himself to become a servant of all, taking the form of man and became obedient to the point of death. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name above all names. This is exactly what God did with Jesus at the completion of His work in accordance to Jesus’ prayer. In His prayer, Jesus asked the Father to restore to Him the glory that He had with the Father from the beginning (John 17:4-5).

Jesus urged His followers to humble themselves before God and men. He said, “And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Mat 23:12). Accordingly, we should take heed to humble ourselves and cultivate a Christ-like spirit of humility, for our Lord did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. A man of the flesh “looks out for number one,” but a man of the Spirit lives in submission to God and in service to his brethren. Humility means dependence on God and respect for others. We acknowledge God as the only One who is worthy of our honor. With this basic understanding and attitude, we would not expect praise and exaltation from men. We would also be willing to deny ourselves and serve others.

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. (1 Pet 5:6)

A biblical example was that God exalted David above Saul in the end, for “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble”(Jas 4:6). Humility is the absence of pride, coupled with the presence of a teachable and disciplined spirit. Our desire of man’s honor and praise makes us eager for self-interest rather than obeying God. Another example was Joseph. Joseph told Pharaoh, “It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” Joseph then interpreted Pharaoh’s dream, and he advised Pharaoh how to meet the impending disaster. Pharaoh was so impressed with Joseph, a man in whom the spirit of God is, that he elevated him to a position second only to his own position. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life. (Pro 22:4)