By Joy Trumbull, Writing Mentor
Humility. When I hear this word, especially around the Christmas season, I think of Jesus. The perfect son of God was on the earth as a helpless baby, completely dependent on His mother and father so that He could live a perfect life. He humbled Himself to the point of death on a cross. What an example Jesus is for us, God’s adopted and eternally-secured children! If we, His children, are to mimic this spirit of humility, what should the culture of LBC be known for in our community and amongst each other? Here are some ideas on how to cultivate a culture of humility on LBC’s campus.
Slay the sin of pride through simple obedience
Pride is an ugly word that grips every sinner’s heart. It manifests itself in multiple facets: righteous pride, American pride, gay pride or pride in talents, actions, accomplishments and possessions. It’s a sin that attacks me every day and keeps me from donning the spirit of humility that I am called to possess. How then do I kill this sin? For “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Galatians 2:20, ESV). It starts with having the correct view of myself. Luke 17:7-9 explains that a Master does not thank a servant because the servant did what his master commanded him to do. In verse 9, Jesus relates that analogy to us and calls us to declare: “we are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty” (ESV). Jesus must increase, and we must decrease (John 3:30). To be a college known for its humility, we need to simply be Christ followers, doing the duty that we have been called to fulfill.
Utilize LBC’s resources
Help! – A word of complete dependence. If I were drowning, my pride would have no problem yelling out this word, or if my soccer coach asked me to grab all the team’s equipment, my pride would easily allow me to ask my teammates for help. But when it comes to my academic needs or emotional needs, my pride tells me that I don’t need help, that I can figure things out on my own, and that I need to carry my burden by myself. But praise God that by walking in the Spirit, I can put off the pride in my flesh and humble myself to seek the help I need (Romans 8:5, Galatians 5:16). In order to foster humility at LBC this is exactly what we all need to do. I encourage you, my friend, to utilize the services that LBC provides. Whether C3 or the Ally Center, we want to provide you with tools and strategies to help you succeed. We want to carry the weight of your struggles with you.
Consider others more important than yourself
No one did this better than Jesus Himself. He was our example as He stooped to wash His disciples’ dirty feet, as He had healed the sick, and as He hung on the cross bearing the wrath of God that should have been poured out on us. If this is how our Master lived, we must live the same way. So here is my challenge: fellow mentors, your mentee’s needs are more important than your own. Care for them relentlessly in each appointment. Athletes, humble yourself before your teammates, your coach, the other team, and the referees and be a servant to them. Students, respect your professors, and value the time and care that they give you. Professors, serve your students as Christ served His disciples. Cultivate a culture that models Christ. Cultivate a culture of humility.
Focus 