Humility and the Founding of America

More than two hundred years after Washington’s death, his willingness to relinquish power—twice—is the most remarkable thing that we remember about him. 
These refusals to seize power for himself were the greatest acts of 
one of history’s greatest men.

Eric Metaxas, “7 Men and The Secret of Their Greatness” 

“Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of its God.” So begins Bruce and Marshall Shelley’s, “Church History in Plain Language.” Humility. We could all use a bit more of it, couldn’t we? When was the last time you heard a sermon on such a thing? 

While I hesitate to compare George Washington with Jesus (of course there is no comparison), if we are to imitate God and “walk in love” (Ephesians 5:1-2a) as Paul exhorts the Ephesians, it can be encouraging for we mere humans to look at the example of other mere humans and how they walked out humility in their own lives. To quote my mom, “George Washington was great because he chose service over power.” Imagine what our lives would be like if history had gone a different direction? America is no perfect place. It’s made up of people after all. But what if things would have been different? What if George Washington would have refused to relinquish power? Could the fledgling, burgeoning, suckling of a unified nation have withstood such an event? Anyway, this is a mission’s newsletter, and I am no American historian. The point is, we stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. Those who humbled themselves…sometimes in life…sometimes in death.

Christ, gave us the ultimate example of humility when he took on the “form of a servant” and was “obedient to the point of death” (Philippians 2:7-8). True love serves. We were born to serve. Michael Reeves, in his book, “Delighting in the Trinity,” writes, “Love for the Lord, love for neighbor—that is the heart of holiness and how the triune God’s people get to be like him.”

We never outgrow the Gospel and we never outgrow the need for humility. Many books have been written and will continue to be written about the secret(s) to greatness. I can think of no greater secret, that is no secret at all, than humility.

I’m thankful to be celebrating the 250th Anniversary of my great country, the United States of America. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). May God help us be the latter.