To encourage humility in children we model the behavior we want to see in them. We let them know we accept them as they are, not based on their looks, achievement, or abilities. We can teach them to serve others and to say “Please” and “Thank you.” We teach them to admit when they are wrong and to be grateful and thankful for their blessings. We recall how pride caused Satan to fall from God’s favor while humility elevated Jesus to be God’s supreme ruler of the universe. The Apostle Paul pointed to Jesus as the best model of humility. He wrote this about Jesus in Philippians 2: “He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor…” So based on the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, Paul wrote, “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” The attitude of gratitude should manifest itself in the way we love and serve others.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr.
Dr. Melvin E. Banks, Sr. is the founder and chairman of UMI (Urban Ministries, Inc.). Under his direction, UMI has grown to be a leading publisher of Christian education resources for churches in the African American community. Read More
