I was recently reading a blog of a SBCers view of a particular interpretation I no longer hold. I read a lot of SBCers because we share many things in common. I was a vocal one for nearly a decade. I even insisted that a SBC pastor perform my wedding ceremony. I was hardcore SBC but a few of my theological positions changed (matured?) and I no longer can consistently and faithfully swim in that current in a local church context. As I read A SBC author put in his post the IMHO acronym, my first thought was uh-oh. IMHO stands for In My Humble Opinion. Rarely does it mean that. Usually when I see that phrase what it really means is “I am right so shut up.” I know this because for years in the past that is what I meant when I wrote/spoke it. He believes that a different position than his is a sin. Fair enough. My problem was I felt no love in what was written. If you are a proponent of a certain position and must denounce the other for consistency sake then your adherence makes perfect sense. I will never fault you for that. No matter what your theological framework if what is said is not said in humility then it is missing something important. Humility is a key to the Gospel and missional living/outreach and in many of our hearts it is missing. The key problem I had was not the use of IMHO but that there needed to be a lot more Humble and a lot less I, M, O . Focus on the H not the I,M,O.

Real humility means that whatever you say, you say it a sense of utter brokeness and/or weakness because of your love for those you are speaking with. There is to be none of your power in what is said. You speak out of your professed weakness. A beautiful modern example is pretty much any sermon of John Piper. A historical example is most any of the words and works of John Calvin. A biblical example is the Apostle Paul. The ultimate example is Jesus the Christ. When you speak humbly you do so in such a way that even your opponents end up thanking and glorifying God for your willingness to say what is said in a spirit of love. It isn’t said to prove you are right or that they are wrong. It is said because you love the other person and you want them to find God’s truth. Also true humility means you can be willing to say I may be wrong even when you may be right.

“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” Paul said this to the Romans in Rom. 12:3 as he raps how they should live and think as authentic Christians. He also said this with the perception that he was the chief of sinners and that this is said out of the grace given to him. We should look at ourselves through humble grace infused eyes. Notice what Paul says about knowing Jesus to the church in Philippi.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Paul to the Philippians in Phil. 2:1-11.

Jesus was humble. He was humility personified. If we can get anything from the life of Jesus, anything at all let us learn to first be really humble. Let us end the I,M,O debates and join in the encouragement of Christ. If God in Jesus could humble himself then certainly we can. Let us participate in the Spirit. This is how Jesus did it, this is how we must do it if it is to be done at all. Let us count others as more significant than us. Let us put others interest above our own. Let us be humble.