I played in a band growing up. 

Okay, so it wasn’t so much “a” band as “the” band. I played the clarinet and—if I’m honest—I felt pretty good about it until I hit high school. The first time I saw my sporty friends head off to their games, dressed in cute uniforms, I became keenly aware that my elective of choice was lacking in the cool department. There I was, left behind holding my plume (you young kids google the plume and you’ll understand my woes). 

While practicing with 200+ other band members, I learned some great lessons on the hash marks of the football field. The lesson that has stuck with me the most is this: the greatest success in a marching band performance is achieved when the individual band member is completely unnoticed.

As we raise kids in a culture basking in recognition and praise, it’s counterintuitive to teach our kids the value of going unnoticed. It’s not that they aren’t gifted and called to use their talents for God’s glory, but it’s our job to teach them to be willing to do so in a way that draws attention to the giver of the gift rather than the gift itself. 

Jesus is the perfect model of humility. He came to earth in the form of a baby and lived a blameless life so that he could die on the cross and give us new life. He more than deserved recognition and acknowledgement for his heavenly status, yet he chose to demonstrate humility because he was sold out to his Father’s will and the bigger picture of the gospel. 

Join me and my dear friend, Julie Hildebrand, today as we talk about the important but difficult task of raising humble kids. And as we consider what humility really means this week, let the wisdom of Rick Warren sink in: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” 

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