From the Preacher's Desk:

Humility.  Perhaps the most elusive of all godly characteristics.  If you do not have it, then you know you need it, and if you think that you do have it, then you probably do not and need it even more.  David, in his despair after his sin with Bathsheba wrote, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart— These, O God, You will not despise" (Psalm 51:17 NKJV).  David got there, but oh, how great was the cost!  James wrote, "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'GOD RESISTS THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE'" (James 4:6).  It follows, therefore, that since grace falls into the "have-to-have" category, then humbleness must likewise be placed into that same category.

Jesus said:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3).  

"Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:4).
"If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all" (Mark 9:35).
"Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant" (Matthew 20:26).
"And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Matthew 23:12).
And, "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him" (John 13:15-16).

So how do we pursue something that we have to have, obviously the more of it we have the better, yet at the same time, the more that we know that we have it, the greater the likelihood that we will lose it to the pride that comes with possessing it?

First, seek a broken spirit and contrite heart through the acknowledgment of God's grace and our own sinfulness.  Our place in God's scheme of redemption is always--always--as a recipient.  We can never allow ourselves to think that God owes us anything (see Romans 4).

Second, seek to be a servant, not for the sake of service, but for the sake of the Master.  Again, our role in God's scheme of redemption must be remembered.  Many servants serve for the hope of gaining something themselves.  Our service for God and for one another, however, must be because we know that we are not our own masters!

Third, seek to be the publican and not the Pharisee.  I am afraid sometimes that it is easier for us to relate to the Pharisee than it is the publican.  We start telling ourselves how good we are because we are not doing so many different sinful things that we see others around us doing, and we end up using those around us as our measuring stick instead of Jesus.

 "Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:13).