By Rick Vacek
GCU News Bureau
A good Chapel message leaves you with some memorable sound bites running through your head. Chad Moore’s talk Monday at Grand Canyon University Arena resonated well beyond the norm.
The Sun Valley Community Church pastor has an effective way of hammering his points home, and he was loud and clear in speaking about humility, which he called “the most important virtue of the Christian life” because “all other Godly virtues flow through it and out of it.”
His biblical reference was Peter 5:5: “Clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Moore said, “Man, that’s huge. Think about that for a moment. To not be humble is to be in opposition to God. To not be humble is to say no to God’s grace.”
“You cannot play poker with God. He knows what’s in your hand."--Chad Moore |
Moore was careful to point out that to be humble does not mean being timid or lacking confidence. Instead, he said, it’s about reality — trusting God and the people around you to see the real you. Pride, on the other hand, is about pretending.
“This is massive for you and I to experience the love of God and experience the love of others,” he said. “Humility is a decision to be the real you and in essence to leave ‘cool’ at the door.”
If you’re not sure if you’re humble, Moore said, you should consider whether you can laugh at yourself and can be childlike rather than childish.
“This is why this is so important,” he said. “Because humility — listen! — is how love is given, and it’s how it’s received. Pride closes the door on love.”
The passage from Peter teaches us three things, in Moore’s view:
First, it is that humility is a choice.
Moore noted that Jesus was the first person to use the word “hypocrite” the way we use it today. It comes from the Greek word hypokritos, or “to wear a mask.”
If you’re surrounded by people but still feel lonely, Moore said you should ask yourself whether you’re being humble. And then you should bring that same feeling to your relationship with God.
“The only way you will ever experience the real love of God and the real love of people is to be courageous enough to be the real you,” Moore said.
The second thing the passage teaches, he said, is that humility invites God’s love to work in your life.
“You cannot play poker with God,” Moore said. “He knows what’s in your hand. So just be honest with Him and get help in your time of need. Stop worrying about what you’re not and give God what you are.”
Christianity is never about achieving but is always about receiving, Moore said, adding that “arrogant Christian” is an oxymoron.
“It’s impossible to follow Jesus and be an arrogant, prideful jerk at the same time,” he said.
Finally, Moore sees humility as our “protective covering” that prevents us from “being eaten.” To illustrate his point, he explained how lions flush their prey out of the brush.
The passage from Peter, he said, talks about the devil in the context of humility.
“Humility prevents you from blowing up your life,” Moore said.
Too many people are quick to see what’s wrong with others but are blind to their own shortcomings. “The eye cannot see the real ‘I,’” he said.
And the most obvious place to get that in proper focus is the church.
“The church is not a place where we’re supposed to come and pretend,” he said. “The church is supposed to be a place where we are honest with each other.”
● Here’s a replay of Moore’s talk.
● Next Monday: No Chapel (Thanksgiving break)
Contact Rick Vacek at (602) 639-8203 or [email protected].
