Earlier this week, I took out an onion to put into my sauce– a big, beautiful, one. Nice and firm, it held the promise of so much delicious flavor to contribute to my concoction.

But, when I peeled it and began to cut therein, that’s when I discovered– it was literally rotten at its very core!

Nasty! Gross! “Eeuuw!”

By the time I’d performed the necessary surgery to remove the rotten elements, very little good part remained. Certainly not enough salvaged for the sauce.

So, I went and got another onion– this one delivering the goods as promised. It was enough to make a grown woman cry!

Then I thanked the Lord for showing me how we, if we’re not careful, can be like that “nasty onion”

~We appear beautiful
~We appear solid
~We appear to have a lot of good taste to offer

~So much promise—yet, full of…

~Rotten thoughts
~Rotten attitudes
~Rotten, sinful desires, selfish ambition, and vain conceit.

This is just what Paul warned us against when he admonished the Philippians (and us):

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. (Phil. 2:3a) 

Don’t let that happen! Instead, we are to:

…in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Phil. 2:3b-4)

How does humility keep us from becoming nasty, exuding a rotten stench?

  • Humility keeps us real. Then it keeps us from selfish ambition and vain conceit. Who cares about image-making and “spin-doctoring” when we don’t mind if people know us for who we really are?
  • Humility makes it easier for us to value others and put their interests first, since we’re not expending effort on proving ourselves. Becoming less self-focused frees us up to become more others-focused.
  • Humility brings unity. When we’re putting others’ interests first, we’re not worrying about or fighting for our “rights”. We’re not cross with people when their will crosses, or goes against, ours. We’re more concerned about harmonious relationships than about winning arguments over issues.
  • Humility makes us recognize our need for help and unashamed to ask for it, from others and from the Lord. Then we get the help we need to do what we need to do and become the person we need to become—all the way through– from the core of our character to the words and actions that result.
  • Humility makes us teachable. Pride says, “I know it all, or at least everything I need to.” This attitude shuts the heart and mind off from any necessary information or truth. Blind spots stay blind. Weaknesses stay weak. Strengths go unmaximized. Development languishes, resulting in stunted growth. Eventually, even what the proud person does know either deteriorates or becomes irrelevant, due to lack of fresh input.

Humble people, on the other hand, are life-long learners, always gaining what they need to grow in knowledge, skill, competence, and character. Plus, they’re willing to learn from anyone, knowing that everyone has something to offer, no matter their age or position.

Ok, so how do we become and stay humble?

First, by recognizing our own limitations—we don’t know everything and can’t do everything.

Second, by only comparing ourselves to the Lord and not to other people. It’s easy to think we’re good, kind, and wonderful when we compare ourselves to villains, jerks, and anyone worse than us at anything. But when we face the Perfect, our imperfections glare like a garish road-sign in the dark!

Third, by remembering that we can’t even humble ourselves by our own power. Our human nature doesn’t like that and will fight it every step and thought along the way! But if we ask for the Lord’s help to become humble, He’ll gladly empower us to humble ourselves. He and we will prefer that to Him having to humiliate us instead! As James 4:6 reminds us, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Fourth, and ultimately, by staying in His Word and prayer, so as to keep the Holy Spirit “in charge”.

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6)

This is how we stay real and firm in our faith and character—like a fresh, nutritious, onion, vs. a rotten one.

Learn from the onion– no matter how aPEELing we may be– it’s what’s on the inside that counts!