I don't write a great deal about success. I fear our hearts read something glitzy rather than substantial. But I need to show you something about success from the word of God. The characteristic most connected with genuine success in the Bible is humility.
Jesus repeatedly told us we would be exalted if we humble ourselves. James said we would be exalted if we humbled ourselves in the sight of the Lord. Peter told us to humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God.
Let me give you three examples of successful humility or humble success. I know of a number of spiritual leaders in history that have exemplified this principle. But none of them shone as brightly in the twentieth century as Billy Graham.
I think you will agree that Billy has been successful in the eyes of God and in the eyes of men. Called to the White House in crucial times by presidents from Harry Truman to George Bush. He preached in sweeping movements of God on five continents. On June 3, 1973 Billy ended a five-day crusade in Seoul Korea, by preaching to over a million people. No other preacher in history has ever preached to a crowd like that.
And yet people who met and knew Billy Graham were always stunned most by his humility. It is amazing that those who have followed in Billy's wake have thought promotion and strategy were the way to greatness.
I would like to go far back into Biblical history for our second example. Numbers 12:3 says Moses was more humble than anyone on the face of the earth. And I think it is safe to say that God exalted him. Those words were spoken while Moses was facing jealous opposition during the great trial that God brought upon the Children of Israel to humble them. In Deuteronomy 8:2 the Lord said, "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in in the desert these forty years, to humble you." What has God done in your life to humble you? Don't chafe under His mighty hand. God's humbling is the key to great blessing.
The third example of humble success towers over all the others. Can you honestly call yourself a disciple of Jesus Christ if your heart does not hunger for humility. He who shared His Father's eternal glory humbled Himself for you. His whole ministry was an expression of ultimate humility.
As a follower of Christ, are you seeking the power of humility? As a child of God, are you praying for the Holy Spirit to produce supernatural humility in you? This is a crucial key to being used by the hand of God.
Now I do need to caution you about thinking of humility as a means of self promotion. Such Pharisaical efforts may impress people, but not God. Our humility needs to be an expression of grateful devotion to God. We cannot be truly humble in order to get what we want from God. True humility wants to see Jesus honored because of the wonderful grace He has lavished upon us.
