REVIEW:

Wisdom and “What is a Life Hack?”

• Biblical wisdom is seeing things as God sees.
• A life hack is a strategy or technique adopted to manage one’s time and daily activities in a more effective way.

Proverbs 4:7 (NIV) Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it costs all you have, get understanding.

1.

• It’s the principle thing to seek after.
• Pursue and sacrifice for wisdom.
• Wisdom starts with God’s Word.

2.

Proverbs 11:2 (NIV) When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

• Pride – Arrogance and presumptuousness – leads to shame and foolishness
• Humility – meekness, lowliness, poor in spirit and absence of self.

3.

• Jesus is the perfect picture of maturity and wisdom.
• Jesus is the essence of humility, He demonstrated humility by coming to Earth.

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) 1Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being likeminded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility consider others better than yourselves, 4not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:5-8 (NIV) 5In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!

4. Humility is in the context of relationship.

• As disciple making Christians, the training ground for humility is in relationship with God and each other.
• Our deepest relationships (spouse, kids, best friends) usually provide the most significant opportunities for this with the most painful or most rewarding outcomes.
• Seek God for truth in your relationship with God.

Proverbs 2:4-5 (NIV) 4and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 15:31–33 (NIV) 31Whoever heeds life-giving correction will be at home among the wise. 32Those who disregard discipline despise themselves, but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. 33Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD, and humility comes before honor.

• Humility is accepting correction and being willing to see your blind spots.

5. So what does humility look like in everyday life? Love.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 (NIV) 4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1. It considers others, brings thins into the perspective, and cares about how something affects others.

2. It listens rather than talks. It is curious about how the other person feels and thinks.

3. Humility serves rather than expects or commands.

4. Humility forgives because we know we need forgiveness.

5. Humility follows and submits. The test of true humility is to follow even when you don’t agree. (I am not talking about salvation issues.)

6. Humility invites correction and seeks direction. (I don’t know it all.)

7. Humility admits wrongs.

8. Humility acknowledges others rather than seeks glory for self.

Life Hack Ideas to Practice:

• Confront your prejudices (preconceived opinion that are not based on reason or actual experience): Spend some face-to-face time with someone you tend to struggle with.
• Ask about listening: Ask two people close to you how well you listen and how you can improve.
• Intentionally put others first by serving them before yourself.
• Spend some time on your knees before God, asking for humility. (Which is a scary prayer.)
• Compliment others: Encourage others who do something better than you.
• Admit something: Admit your faults to someone you’ve wronged, and admit you don’t know.
• Be honest about struggles you have.

Questions to discuss in Life Groups or with your family and friends:

Passages to consider: Proverbs 11:2, 15:33, 18:12, 22:4; James 4:6-12; or select one from the sermon.

• Discuss what you heard in the sermon. Share what was meaningful to you.

1. How would you describe humility? a) Talk about the elements of humility shared in the sermon.

2. What makes humility such a key in following Jesus?

3. Think of someone who has been a model of humility to you or someone who has been negative example of pride. What can you learn from them?

4. What helps you nurture humility in your attitude and actions? a) Try to identify what could be a humility-killer in your life.

5. Which “life hack” or element of humility are you going to practice? Share your plan.