In fact, you have made my days just inches long... (Psalm 39:5a)
What does it mean that our lives are only "inches long?" In the original Hebrew, "inches long" is "handbreadth," or the width of the hand at the base of the four fingers, which is about three inches.
I love how the Puritan preacher, Matthew Henry, describes this...
We need no rod, no pole, no measuring line, wherewith to take the dimension of our days, nor any skill in arithmetic wherewith to compute the number of them. No; we have the standard of them at our fingers’ end; it is but one hand-breadth in all. Our time is short, and God has made it so.
We are limited. We have limited time, limited strength, and limited intelligence. We are limited in what we do, what we know to do, and what time we have to do it. And God has made us that way!
Yet we live in a world that pushes us to reject our limitations and pursue perfection, greatness, dominance, and superiority. That push leads to stress and anxiety as we strive to achieve, and it leads us to guilt, discouragement, and depression as we fall short. So, David prays, "Lord, make me aware [that] you have made my days just inches long."
Could it be that the guilt that is feeding our emotional pain is actually the sin of pride and a rejection of the limits God placed on us? Let me ask the question another way. What kind of things most often cause you to feel guilty? For me, sure, I feel guilty for sin...
- Careless words...
- Bad attitude...
- Prayerlessness...
- Anger...
- Poor choices about diet or exercise...
But the things that most often cause me to feel guilty are in a very different category. And maybe for me and for you, we shouldn't feel guilty for much of that. And, in fact, the guilt we feel may just be the sin of pride.
I'll share that guilt-list in a moment, but let's first learn a foundational truth from Matthew 18.
At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus asked the disciples, "Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Some people criticize the disciples for asking that question, but I do not. I don't think it is a bad question or a bad desire, at least in one sense.
Jesus talked a lot about greatness. He said John the Baptist was the greatest person ever born of a woman. And even in Matthew 18, Jesus does eventually give instructions for how to be the greatest. Further, the Bible commands us to desire or be ambitious for the greater gifts of service (1 Corinthians 12:31). And the Bible commends those who have aspirations to be pastors (1 Timothy 3:1).
So, how did Jesus answer the question? Jesus said that to be great in the kingdom of God, you must become like little children. What does that mean?
First, let's see what Jesus does not mean. He is not saying we become young again. They couldn't do that. He is not saying to have the innocence of a child because children often aren't so innocent! He is not saying to be as unknowing (ignorant) as a child. Jesus is teaching them so they won't be ignorant.
So, what is Jesus saying? The next verse in the story gives us the answer.
Matthew 18:4 | Whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (CSB)
What is it about children that impresses Jesus? Jesus commends children for their humility. Jesus is saying that if you want to be great (the original issue), then you must be humble like a child. In fact, he says that child-like humility will make a person the greatest in the kingdom of heaven!
So, what is humility, and what does it have to do with being great? Humility is an attitude. Humility is a lowly attitude. In fact, the Greek word literally means low to the ground.
Why should we have a lowly attitude? Why should we be humble? Many suggest that we should be humble because we sin. Well, that is the churchy answer, but it is completely WRONG!
You might say, "But wait. That is what I was taught in VBS a hundred years ago." Well, you were taught incorrectly.
You might say, "Well, there are Bible verses that say we should be humble because of our sin!" No. There are not.
The easiest proof that humility is not required because of sin is that the most humble person ever was Jesus (Matthew 11:29, Philippians 2:8). And Jesus never sinned! So, even if you lived a perfect, sinless life, there would still be good reason for humility.
So, what is humility, and why should we be humble? Humility is the recognition that we are completely and utterly dependent creatures.
The definition of creature can be seen right inside the spelling of the word. Creatures are those who have been created by God. And as creatures, we are dependent on God for our existence. We are dependent on God for our lives. We are dependent on God for our next breath. We are dependent on God for a body that is healthy enough to do the things before us. We are dependent on God for a mind that is sharp enough to think, speak, and solve problems. We are dependent on God for salvation and eternal life! We are dependent on God for everything!
Jesus said to be humble like a little child. He didn't say to have the humble attitude that little children have. (Even the youngest kids can have an independent streak.) But Jesus is instructing them (and us) to recognize that we are dependent like a little child is dependent.
Little children are helpless!
Have you ever wondered why a baby horse with no encouragement, no instruction, no coddling from grandparents can coordinate all four legs and trot one hour after birth, but the smartest, most pampered human takes a year or longer to learn to trot! A horse is an 876,000 percent faster learner than a kid. I believe the reason for the difference is that God is trying to teach us something about dependence.
A one-year-old can't...
- Feed himself...
- Understand his surroundings...
- Evade danger...
- Survive cold weather...
- Clean his bottom...
- Communicate...
So, when Jesus says the key to greatness in the kingdom of heaven is that we humble ourselves like a little child, he is saying that we should recognize just how much we desperately need the Lord for everything and in everything.
Now that we see the true meaning of humility, answer this question: What is the opposite of humility? The opposite of humility is PRIDE. If we think we are in control of our world and that we can alone accomplish whatever we choose to accomplish and that there are no limits, then that is the opposite of humility, and that is pride.
Now, let's go back to the first question. Could it be that much of what we see as guilt in our lives is really pride? I think so.
Take a look at my journey. I'm a big fan of John Adams. Adams was the second president of the United States, but I'm not so much a fan of his presidency as I am of the things he did between 1765 and 1776. During the 1776 fight for the Declaration of Independence, he wrote these words to his wife, Abigail...
"Lately I find that I reek of discontentment. It fills my throat, and it floods my brain. And sometimes I fear there is no longer a dream, but only discontentment."
I feel that way a lot of the time. Here is the list of the things that I most often feel guilty about...
- I set lofty goals for myself, and then I feel guilty when I don't meet them.
- I make long task lists every morning, and then I go to bed feeling guilty for the things that didn't get marked off during the day.
- I feel guilty that I don't read more.
- I feel guilty that I don't exercise more.
- I feel guilty I don't spend more time with my family.
- I feel guilty I don't spend more time with my friends.
- I feel guilty that I'm not a better pastor.
- I feel guilty that I'm not a better preacher.
- I feel guilty I don't accomplish what some of my peers accomplish.
- I feel guilty that I don't write more.
- I feel guilty that I don't pray more.
- I feel guilty that I don't accomplish what some people accomplish.
- I feel guilty that I'm not as smart as some students of the Bible.
- I feel guilty that I can't get my adult kids to think exactly like I do.
The Lord is showing me through what the Bible teaches about humility that much of that "guilt" is really just "pride." It is pride in my thinking that I am in complete control of my world. It is pride in my thinking that I don't have any limits. It is pride in my thinking that I can be the best at everything if I will just work harder. It is pride in my thinking that if I just stay more focused, work more hours, and became more productive, then I could accomplish anything and everything I desired to accomplish.
If only I could
- Eat that Frog with Brian Tracy
- Complete more Pomodoros...
- Work in Eisenhower's Quadrant 2...
- Budget my time and energy with the Pareto Principle...
- Do more of Cal Newport's Deep Work...
(And if you don't know what those things are, you are probably better off for it.)
Then I could accomplish anything and everything.
It is pride to think that if I don't have perfect success, perfect kids, and daily make an amazing impact, that it is because I simply didn't try hard enough. I call that guilt, but I'm wrong. It is pride! That "guilt" is not "guilt." That "guilt" is really "pride." I'm not guilty of not being a superhero. I'm guilty of thinking I could be a superhero if I wanted to be. I'm not guilty of failing to be the master of the universe. I'm guilty of thinking I am the master of my universe.
To be humble is to recognize that I am a creature, and I'm completely dependent on the Lord. The Lord has created me and you with some limits.
- God could have made me smarter.
- God could have made me think faster.
- God could have made me better at remembering things.
- God could have made me a better communicator.
- God could have made me a superhero, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound...
But he DIDN'T! And my limits are opportunities for me to recognize how much I must depend on the Lord! Of course, some of my limits are the result of the curse, and some because of my personal sin. But many of my limitations (and yours) are a part of God's good creation! (Adam and Eve had limits long before they sinned.)
True humility recognizes that I can't be the best at everything (or maybe anything). It recognizes that God gave me the gifts and abilities to do the things he wants me to do, and that is all I need to do. Of course, I need to do those things with excellence, and I need to strive to be my best. But who do I think I am?
True humility recognizes that I am not in control of my world. It recognizes that I am not the captain of my ship. It recognizes that some people are smarter, stronger, more skilled, and will be more successful than me in many, most, or even in all areas of life. That is all part of being a creature and reveling in how much I am dependent on the Lord.
Back to what Jesus said in Matthew 18:4.
Whoever humbles himself like this child—this one is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
And we understand now that humility is recognizing our dependence on and our helplessness without the Lord everything.
The truth is, if we can learn to be humble, much of the stress and anxiety we face and much of the guilt we experience will just melt away. I love Christ's testimony of this:
Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, because I am lowly and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28–30)
So, how can we be humble?
David took the right step when he prayed...
"Lord, make me aware .... you have made my days just inches long."
David was asking the Lord to increase his awareness of his personal limitations.
We've mentioned Charles Spurgeon a couple times already. Spurgeon was a Baptist preacher in England in the late 1800's. He suffered from a debilitating depression that often required the men of his church to physically carry him into the pulpit to preach. Yet, he...
- Pastored the largest church in history at that time...
- Preached 10 times per week (different sermons)...
- Read 6 books per week...
- Founded and was president of a Bible college...
- Founded and led an orphanage...
- Wrote 140 books...
- Edited a monthly magazine...
- Responded to 500 letters per week...
- And he was a good husband and a successful father...
And he did all of this without a computer, cell phone, microwave, or car. I recently read a biography of Spurgeon because someone told me it would encourage me. It didn't encourage me at all. It made me feel so guilty! Did God mess up when he did not give me the capacity to do that?
That is the unbiblical and unreasonable guilt that can take us to a place of despair. What if we looked for ways to praise God for our limits rather than always trying to conquer them?
I know the advice of the world is to get up every morning and say to yourself...
- I can do anything!
- I can achieve it all.
- I am in control.
- I am the king of my domain.
- Nothing will stand in my way.
But what if we got up each morning and said to ourselves...
- I am totally dependent on the Lord!
- I would not be anything without the Lord!
- God has gifted me to do all that he wants me to do.
- I will be faithful today to do that, and I will trust the Lord with my limitations.
- The Lord is the king of my domain.
I think it was Philip Yancey who asked, "How much better would we be if we focused more on being humble and thankful than being productive and efficient?
Jesus said it this way...
Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. (Matthew 6:33)
James said it this way...
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you. (James 4:10)
David said it this way...
"Lord, make me aware .... you have made my days just inches long." (Psalm 39:5)
Pastor Noel