From the Garden to the Cross: Lessons in Humility

It all started in the garden. Adam and Eve had everything they could ever want—life, beauty, purpose, and the privilege of walking with God every day. But in a single moment, everything changed. The serpent whispered a dangerous idea: “You can be like God.” Instead of resting in the goodness and sovereignty of the Creator, they reached for more. That one choice fractured creation, and humanity has been wrestling with pride ever since.

Centuries later, in another garden, Jesus faced a greater temptation. He, too, was given a choice. However, Christ chose differently. Instead of grasping for His rights and authority as the Son of God, He surrendered to the Father's will, even to the point of death on a cross. Adam and Eve's pride brought death and destruction, but Jesus' humility and obedience gave all creation hope again.

Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Would you believe me if I told you that pride is at the root of every sin? From the forbidden fruit to the brokenness in our world today, pride always says, "I know better than God." But humility tells a completely different story.

If pride was the spark that ignited the fall of humanity, then humility is the posture that restores us to God. You see, pride is more than arrogance or self-righteousness. At its core, it is a declaration of independence from God. It whispers lies like, "I don't need God, I'll make my own definitions of right and wrong, I am in control." Pride doesn't just hurt us; it creates distance between us and the Lord, poisons other relationships, and blinds us to the truth.

Humility is different, however. It’s true, conscious dependence on God. Charles Spurgeon said, “Humility is to make right estimate of oneself.” It’s about realizing that every breath, every gift, and every ability comes from God. He is the Creator, and we are the creatures, dependent on Him for everything. Think about how a child depends on a parent for food, safety, and love. That’s exactly how we depend on God. Without Him, we are nothing.

In a world full of pride, humility can be hard to spot. Just scroll through social media and you'll see a world shouting, "Promote yourself, prove yourself, put yourself first." But Jesus whispers a different message—one where greatness doesn't come from climbing higher, but from kneeling lower.

Jesus is the ultimate example of humility. Paul showcases this idea in Philippians 2:5-8, which says, "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 emptied himself, by 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.”

Meditate on these verses for a second. Adam and Eve reached for power and knowledge, trying to become like God, and it led to death. Jesus, who was already God, laid down His rights and chose the cross, and it brought life. Adam and Eve grasped for more and lost everything. Jesus let go of everything and gained it all. Adam’s pride fractured creation. Jesus’ humility healed it.

We see this so evidently throughout Jesus' life on Earth, but one of the most prominent examples is in John 13:1-17. The disciples gathered around the table for the Passover meal with their feet dusty from walking the dirt roads of Jerusalem. Per custom and culture, everyone knew their feet needed to be washed, but no one moved. Usually, a lowly servant would wash their feet for them. Instead, Jesus stood up. Without being flashy or announcing it to everyone, He began to gather what He needed to wash their feet. He laid aside His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and poured water into a bucket. The King of Kings knelt on the floor, taking the place of a servant, and washed their feet.

In that moment, Jesus refined what humility and leadership were meant to look like. The only one worthy of exaltation and worship became the least of us. He could have demanded honor, boasted about His authority, or urged them to fall face down before Him. Instead, He chose humility and service. Afterwards, Jesus said to them, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

Do you see the example? He wasn’t just meeting a practical need. He was showing what love looks like in action. How could He do it? Verse 3 says, “Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God.” In other words, Jesus was completely secure in who He was and whose He was. He didn’t have to prove Himself. He didn’t need to cling to status or recognition. His identity was rooted in the Father, and that freed Him to serve with humility.

That’s the secret of true humility: knowing who you are in Christ. Pride scrambles to protect its image, but humility rests in its identity. When we know that everything we have is from God, that we belong to Him, and that our future is secure with Him, we don’t have to fight for recognition or grasp for worth. We can kneel with a towel in hand because our confidence is anchored in something greater than ourselves. Jesus washing His disciples’ feet was only a glimpse of the humility He would soon display on the cross. The same hands that scrubbed away dirt would be pierced to wash away our sin.

You see, pride shows up in more ways than we often realize, and one of the places it can sneak in the most is in ministry. For worship leaders especially, pride can be one of the greatest battles we face. We stand on a platform, hold a microphone, and carry the weight of leading people into God’s presence. It’s so easy to let that sacred calling drift into a subtle pursuit of affirmation or applause instead of a posture of surrender to Christ.

I remember a season when this hit me hard. Week after week, I was pouring myself into preparing setlists, rehearsing with excellence, and giving everything I had on Sunday mornings and mid-week services. But after a while, discouragement began to creep in. It felt like no one noticed the effort I was putting in. No “thank you.” No “that really spoke to me today.” Nothing. At first, I told myself I was fine, but underneath, my heart was growing bitter.

It was a sobering truth when the Lord helped me realize that my discouragement wasn’t just about feeling unseen. It was rooted in pride. I wanted recognition, affirmation, and people to notice me. And when they didn’t, I felt like my work didn’t matter. But God began to show me that my worth was never meant to be tied to people’s approval; it was meant to rest fully in Him. Worship was never about my effort being recognized. It was about His name being glorified.

And this isn’t just a “worship leader problem.” Pride is a human problem. It wraps itself around our hearts, making us measure value by attention instead of by Christ’s glory. But isn’t that what sin has always done… turn our eyes inward instead of upward?

That’s exactly what happened at the cross. Truth be told, it was human pride that nailed Jesus there. The religious leaders couldn’t bear to lose their influence. The crowds wanted a king who fit their expectations. Even Pilate, knowing Jesus was innocent, chose to protect his own position instead of standing for truth. Pride blinded them all. And if we’re honest, pride blinds us too. We may not have stood in the crowd shouting, “Crucify Him! ” but every time we insist on our way instead of God’s, every time we elevate ourselves above His authority, we’re walking in the same spirit of pride that sent Jesus to the cross.

The cross confronts us with the devastating reality that our pride runs so deep that we rejected and killed the very One who came to save us. Yet, in that same moment, the humility of Christ triumphed. While pride sought to destroy, Jesus chose to lay down His life. And it’s through His humility that salvation became possible for the proudest of sinners.

So, where does this leave us today? If pride fractured creation, humility in Christ restores it. The same humility that washed dusty feet and endured the agony of the cross now calls us to follow. We are invited to stop striving to prove ourselves, to lay down pride that leaves us empty, and to trust that being hidden in Christ is enough. When we kneel like Jesus, we discover freedom and joy that pride could never give.

May your roots run deep and your faith remain strong! As always, Stay Rooted, my friends! <3