summer-2025

Gospel Humility

Elsa Kim

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.

1. The natural condition of the human ego a result of the fall Ego: A person’s sense of self-esteem or self-importance.

Ego as a hot air balloon

The ego is empty:

• we try to fill it out

The ego is over-inflated (painful):

• it draws attention to itself because it is easily hurt
• social hurt is similar to physical pain

The ego is busy:

• preoccupied with comparing itself with others

“Pride is the pleasure of having more than the next person” CS Lewis

The ego is fragile:

• easily goes from inflated to deflated
• superiority vs inferiority complex

“A superiority complex and an inferiority complex are basically the same. They are both results of being overinflated.” Tim Keller

To summarize: the natural state of

• get later

Our current cultural context:

• age of individualism
• self-actualization
• “speaking your truth”
• social media

1. How we are to think about ourselves (let’s ask Paul!)

1 Corinthians 4:3-4

Paul says:

• it doesn’t matter what other people think of me
• it doesn’t matter what I think of myself
• it matters what God thinks of me

Gospel Humility: Not thinking more of myself or less of myself, but thinking about myself less.

1. How to become gospel-humble

Romans 8:1

Normal trial:

• performance determines verdict

Gospel:

• verdict determines the performance

Scandal of Grace!

We become gospel humble by taking ourselves out of the “courtroom” because the trial is over.

1. What does gospel humility look like?

self-love vs self-hate bridged by self-forgetfulness

“Prince Zuko, pride is not the opposite of shame, but its source. True humility is the only antidote to shame.”

What does Gospel Humility look like?

• deeply interested in others
• not offended or devastated by criticism
• doing things you’d want to do in front of others in private
  • and vice versa

Discussion Questions:

1. What does your ego hot air balloon look like today?
2. In what areas do you tend to be more self-hating?
3. In what areas do you tend to be more self-loving?
4. What is one way you can practice self-forgetfulness?