“Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18‬:‭4‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

One of the most transformative books I’ve read as a leader is “The Ideal Team Player” by Patrick Lencioni. The premise of the book is simple: the “ideal” person to hire or have on a team espouses 3 characteristics – they are humble, hungry, and smart. Though we are each predisposed to have one dominant trait, a balance among the three is the greatest indicator of success, and according to Lencioni, the most important one among the three is humility. 

Yeshua thought it was important too. He said the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven were the humbled ones. 

The word for “humble” in the original Greek is tapeinoō – meaning to one’s soul down or to bring down one’s pride; to have a modest opinion of oneself and to behave in an unassuming manner devoid of all haughtiness. 

I had a supervisor once who told me I was easily replaceable in my job. At first, I was just angry. But as I sat in silence with his words echoing in my mind, his statement was like a bucket of ice water to my pride. I was offended – but in time I gained perspective and humility took root. He and I had a contentious relationship, and in the end, it was humility that healed our relationship. 

I wrote about being seasoned with fire yesterday. As children, we’re taught to “go low” to escape a fire. We’re taught to get under the smoke and crawl out. It’s basic fire safety – and, it’s a principle in life and leadership. The hotter it gets, the harder it is, the lower I go. I set aside my pride and take on an unassuming manner. I lay down my “rights” and set aside arguments. Humility is like a super power in the game of life. As I go lower, He is exalted. More of Him. Less of me. Always. 

Father – thank You for Your word. Thank Your mercy and kindness. You are good and You keep doing good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen. 

Daily Reading: Matthew 18

October 22, 2022