By Melanie Rainer
The word “humble” appears all throughout the Bible—Old and New Testaments, descriptions of Jesus, teachings of Jesus, and more. It is clear that God values a humble heart and calls His followers to pursue a life of humility. But how do we teach humility to our kids?
Humility means not thinking too highly of ourselves and filling our minds and hearts up with pride. It allows us to put other people first, but humility does not mean being weak.
The Bible is full of stories that show us what it means to be humble—either by example or by God correcting His prideful people. Use the stories below to start conversations with your kids about what it means to be humble.
Jesus Condemns the Pharisees
Matthew 23:1-12
Bible Truth: When I put others first, God lifts me up.
While teaching one day, Jesus started talking about the Pharisees and describing how they acted. The behavior He describes is the opposite of humility—they do everything for show, they take the best seats and wear the biggest tassels, and demand respect when they walk around.
Jesus lived in the opposite way! He was born in a lowly barn, He put others before Himself, and He never bragged. Jesus tells His followers that “Whoever is the greatest should be the servant of the others. If you put yourself above others, you will be put down. But if you humble yourself, you will be honored.”
After you read this story as a family, ask your kids to point out the ways the Pharisees were not humble. Then ask them to reflect on their own motivations and hearts, and then pray together and ask God for humility like Jesus.
Related Verse: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. James 4:10 NLT
John the Baptist
John 3:22-30
Bible Truth: Jesus deserves first place!
John the Baptist is a very important person in the New Testament! He was a cousin of Jesus, and he was chosen to proclaim that the Messiah had come. In this famous story, John says one of the most well known verses in the Bible: “he must increase, but I must decrease.” What a beautiful, humbling prayer! John is giving us a picture of what it means to be humble, and to seek Jesus before ourselves and our own gain.
Pray John 3:30 together as a family. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Try praying this frequently, when you are feeling prideful or struggling with humility.
Related Verse: He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 ESV
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King Nebuchadnezzar
Daniel 4
Bible Truth: God will help me keep a humble heart.
There are several stories about King Nebuchadnezzar in the book of Daniel, and the story of Daniel 4 is a really powerful testimony about humility. In this story, Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that he doesn’t understand, and so he asks Daniel to interpret it for him. Daniel tells him that in the dream, King Nebuchadnezzar is the tree who is chopped down and made to live with wild animals. Daniel says he will have to live this way for 7 years, until he learns that God is in control of everything. Nebuchadnezzar was not a humble king! He was very proud of his kingdom and his palace.
One day, Nebuchadnezzar was walking and surveying his kingdom and bragging about it, when all of the sudden he could no longer speak and had to go live with wild animals. He spent 7 years away from his kingdom, just like in his dream. At the end of 7 years, he praised God and knew that God was in charge. He wrote a letter to his people and said, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” Daniel 4:37
What an amazing story about the transformation from pride to humility! While God doesn’t usually work by making people go live with wild animals, we can see in this story how much God values a humble spirit. We can pray and ask God to work in our heart and make us more humble.
Related Verse: He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. Psalm 25:9 NLT
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As an enthusiast with a demonstrable knowledge of biblical teachings, let's delve into the concepts discussed in Melanie Rainer's article on teaching humility to children through biblical stories.
The article emphasizes the importance of humility in the context of biblical teachings and provides three stories to illustrate this virtue.
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Jesus Condemns the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-12):
- Bible Truth: The story emphasizes that putting others first is valued by God, and humility leads to elevation by God.
- Lesson: Jesus contrasts the behavior of the Pharisees, who act for show and seek personal glory, with His own humble lifestyle. The key message is that true greatness comes from serving others and humbling oneself.
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John the Baptist (John 3:22-30):
- Bible Truth: John the Baptist models humility by stating, "He must increase, but I must decrease."
- Lesson: John's proclamation signifies the importance of prioritizing Jesus above personal gain. The family is encouraged to adopt this humbling prayer in moments of pride and to acknowledge Jesus as the center of their lives.
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King Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4):
- Bible Truth: The story highlights God's ability to humble the proud and transform hearts towards humility.
- Lesson: King Nebuchadnezzar's experience of living with wild animals for seven years serves as a powerful example of God's intervention to instill humility. The lesson is that God can work in our hearts, leading us to humility through various means.
Related Verses and Prayers:
- James 4:10 (NLT): "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." This verse reinforces the idea that humility is rewarded by God.
- John 3:30 (ESV): "He must increase, but I must decrease." A prayerful acknowledgment of Jesus taking precedence over personal desires.
- Psalm 25:9 (NLT): "He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way." This verse emphasizes that humility guides individuals to follow God's ways.
Incorporating these biblical stories and verses into family discussions and prayers can serve as a foundation for instilling humility in children. The article suggests engaging children in reflections on their own attitudes and motivations, fostering an environment where they can actively seek God's guidance to cultivate a humble spirit.
