The Kingdom Currency : Humility

Most of us are taught from day one to 'climb the ladder' of success, following our own hearts and chasing the worldly currency of money and status. 

Today, we’re challenging the 'Climb Up' culture by exploring the Kingdom's ladder: the path of going down. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

Welcome to Life Unpack, the weekly podcast designed to help you navigate the everyday with more clarity, purpose, and intention. In each episode, we take the challenges, questions, and experiences that shape our lives and unpack them layer by layer. Through honest conversations and elevated perspectives, we explore practical insights that can help you grow, think differently, and create a better, more fulfilling life. Whether you're looking for direction, inspiration, or simply a moment to pause and reflect, life unpacked. It's your space to reset and rise. Together, we'll dig deep, open up new ways of seeing the world, and empower you to live each day with more confidence, balance, and meaning. Most of us are taught from day one to climb the ladder of success, following our own hearts and chasing the worldly currency of money and status. Today, we're challenging the climb-up culture by exploring the kingdom's ladder, the path of going down. If it seems like you're not making progress in life, then it's time to stop wandering in the maze of our own desires and discover the blueprint for true humility.

SPEAKER_02 1:11

Welcome to the deep dive. Today, we're uh immersing ourselves in a single really powerful source. A teaching session focused entirely on one concept, humility.

SPEAKER_01 1:24

Mm-hmm. And for many of us, humility feels you know, quiet, almost passive.

SPEAKER_02 1:30

Aaron Ross Powell Right. But this teaching, it argues something different, that it's the ultimate proactive choice.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

Aaron Ross Powell And maybe even the primary currency in uh what's often called the kingdom of God.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01 1:42

Aaron Powell So that's our mission today, really, to move beyond that conventional, sometimes kind of weak definition.

SPEAKER_02 1:47

Aaron Powell And extract the well, the surprising actionable version presented here.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Aaron Powell We need to understand the practical side of choosing to go low, and what these sources argue is the well the guaranteed payoff for making that choice.

SPEAKER_02 1:58

Aaron Powell The session started with a brilliant hook, actually. Posed a question to the audience, and well, now to you listening. If someone commented on your current state of humility, would you be genuinely complimented?

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Aaron Powell Or would you be offended?

SPEAKER_02 2:09

Aaron Powell Yeah. And I think most of us, if we're honest, would probably feel a bit insulted.

SPEAKER_01 2:14

Because we're talking humility means a lack of strength, maybe, or ambition.

SPEAKER_02 2:18

Exactly. We've kind of absorbed that. So we're gonna untack why that cultural misunderstanding is so critical, especially when you're thinking about, you know, divine principles.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

And what's really interesting about this teaching is how um how methodical it is. It doesn't just rely on stories.

SPEAKER_02 2:34

No, it builds a case.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Right. It sets its foundation using the well, the ultimate biblical example of Jesus. Then it moves through that confusing historical paradox of Moses.

SPEAKER_02 2:45

Oh yeah, that's a tricky one.

SPEAKER_01 2:47

But it is. And then it lands on these incredibly sharp, modern applications for your day-to-day life, you know.

SPEAKER_02 2:53

Like jobs, relationships.

SPEAKER_01 2:55

Exactly. Things we all deal with.

SPEAKER_02 2:57

Okay, so let's unpack that foundational text they use first. Philippians chapter two. This passage, it seems, is the absolute base for the whole argument about why humility leads to promotion.

SPEAKER_01 3:08

It really is. It describes Jesus, who, you know, being eternal and in the form of God, actively chose a different path.

SPEAKER_02 3:14

He made himself of no reputation.

SPEAKER_01 3:16

Right, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. The emphasis there is on the choice, the choice to shed power.

SPEAKER_02 3:23

That phrase bondservant, that's powerful.

SPEAKER_01 3:26

It is. It means choosing the lowest possible status, but for a specific purpose. And the teaching really highlights the immediate consequence, the conclusion of the passage.

SPEAKER_02 3:36

Which is.

SPEAKER_01 3:37

Because Jesus chose to humble himself and was obedient even to the point of a really shameful death. God instantly reacted.

SPEAKER_02 3:45

God highly exalted him and gave him the name, which is above every other name.

SPEAKER_01 3:50

Exactly. That direct link is the core principle. Trevor Burrus, Jr.

SPEAKER_02 3:53

That is such a reversal of how we normally think about getting ahead. How did the sermon kind of visualize that counterintuitive climb?

SPEAKER_01 4:01

Aaron Powell They use a ladder analogy, which I think captures the contrast beautifully. So in the world we're pushed, you know, climb the corporate ladder, maybe push others down, strive constantly to go up for success. Right. But the kingdom principle described here says climb down the ladder. It's an instruction that just fundamentally rejects human ambition as the main driver.

SPEAKER_02 4:22

So the lower you willingly go.

SPEAKER_01 4:24

The higher you're actually destined to reach. Because you're making space, sort of, for a higher power to lift you up.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

Aaron Powell Okay. If the key is climbing down, that points to a totally different value system at play. The world's economy isn't running this show, clearly.

SPEAKER_01 4:37

Aaron Powell Not at all.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Aaron Ross Powell So what does the source say is the actual currency in this uh spiritual structure?

SPEAKER_01 4:44

Aaron Ross Powell And this is where that currency analogy they use becomes so vital. We live by money talks, right? Cash is king. It drives most worldly decisions. But the source argues that in the structure we're talking about, humility talks. Humility is king. The more you possess and importantly practice this proactive choice of humility.

SPEAKER_02 5:05

The more access and influence you actually gain.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

Inherently gain, yes. It's like the required payment for everything else in that system.

SPEAKER_02 5:11

Aaron Powell And what really stands out is that this isn't just a rule for people, it's modeled by God Himself according to the teaching.

SPEAKER_01 5:17

That's a key point they make. They reference Isaiah where the high and lofty one who inhabits eternity also deliberately chooses to dwell with him who has a contrite and humble spirit.

SPEAKER_02 5:27

So God is constantly stooping down.

SPEAKER_01 5:29

Yeah, the source highlights that constantly reaching down to the level of people, showing that even the highest being makes that proactive choice to come down. Temperatures up.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

Which emphasizes that willingness to come down is actually the mark of true power, not weakness.

SPEAKER_01 5:46

Precisely. It reframes it completely.

SPEAKER_02 5:48

So moving on from those foundational texts, the teaching then kind of pivots, right? To really nail down the definition of humility.

SPEAKER_01 5:56

Yes, making sure it's not mistaken for just being shy or insecure.

SPEAKER_02 5:59

Things it's often confused with.

SPEAKER_01 6:01

Absolutely. They emphasize that humility is not an act. It's not something you put on for show.

SPEAKER_02 6:07

It flows from something else.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Aaron Powell It flows entirely from a secure identity. The teaching says if you genuinely know who you are, like if you're confident in your identity as a child of the king, then it's not difficult to be different. Meaning. Meaning that confidence in your standing means you don't need to perform or constantly compare yourself or compete with others in the same way.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

Okay, this brings us to that famous Moses paradox, numbers 12.3. This is where it gets really interesting for me.

SPEAKER_01 6:33

It is fascinating.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

How can the author of a book, Moses, write that he was very humble, more than all the men who are on the face of the earth, and still be humble?

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Right. To our modern ears, that sounds like the ultimate boast. A huge red flag for pride. Totally. It sounds like boasting. Unless you understand the specific definition the sermon provides. Which is they define humility simply as doing the will of somebody else.

SPEAKER_02 6:57

Ah, okay.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

So Moses could claim to be the most humble because, according to this view, his actions were only driven by a divine mandate. He only spoke when God said speak.

SPEAKER_02 7:08

So his self-description wasn't about his ego versus others.

SPEAKER_01 7:12

No, it was presented as a statement of fact about the well, the absolute totality of his obedience to God's will, not about his personal feeling of lowliness.

SPEAKER_02 7:21

And we see how that obedience kind of played out when his authority was challenged. Tell us about that Korra incident from number 16. That really illustrates Moses' approach.

SPEAKER_01 7:30

Yeah, the Korra story is intense. Korah was a relative, a prominent leader, and he, along with 250 other leaders, I mean, this was a major challenge.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

A coup, basically.

SPEAKER_01 7:39

Pretty much. They confront Moses, saying, Why are you making such a big deal of yourself? Now, if Moses was acting out of ego, he'd fight back, defend himself. Right, mobilize his supporters. Instead, his immediate humble response, he falls on his face, he appeals to the higher authority.

SPEAKER_02 7:55

And has asked Korah, isn't it enough that you're already serving in the tabernacle?

SPEAKER_01 7:59

Exactly. He wasn't defending his title, he was defending the father's appointment. He wasn't taking the offense personally.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

He saw it as an offense against the one who gave him the job.

SPEAKER_01 8:08

Precisely. However, and this is crucial, the sermon reinforces that this consistency has to be absolute.

SPEAKER_02 8:15

Ah, that's a catch.

SPEAKER_01 8:17

Well, a standard. The teaching gives the cautionary tale. Moses was the most humble man in the world right up until that moment.

SPEAKER_02 8:24

But the rock.

SPEAKER_01 8:25

Yes. He did not glorify the name of God, striking the rock for water.

SPEAKER_02 8:29

That detail is so important. He was humble for decades, but one public moment of prioritizing his own frustration.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

Over God's specific instruction cost him entry into the promised land.

SPEAKER_02 8:41

Wow. It really reinforces that humility as this proactive choice has to be constantly renewed. It's not a one-time achievement.

SPEAKER_01 8:50

Not at all. It requires vigilance.

SPEAKER_02 8:52

Okay, let's just distill again what the teaching insists true humility is not, because this is where a lot of us get tripped up.

SPEAKER_01 8:58

Right. It's not undervaluing your talents or accomplishments.

SPEAKER_02 9:02

It's not making yourself small or deliberately hiding your strengths. That's false modesty.

SPEAKER_01 9:06

Exactly. The refined definition they offered is actually quite sobering. True humility, they say, is understanding this. If another person had the exact same opportunity, the exact same resources, the exact same gifts as you, it would be better. Yes. That definition shifts the focus completely. It takes it away from any idea of your innate superiority and puts your success squarely on the gifts and opportunities provided to you.

SPEAKER_02 9:31

Which kind of eradicates any basis for self-generated pride.

SPEAKER_01 9:34

It aims to, yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:36

But okay, for the listener who's maybe facing a tough job market or dealing with really aggressive people, that sounds like a massive risk, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 9:44

It does feel risky from a worldly perspective.

SPEAKER_02 9:47

So how does the source deal with that fear? The fear of being exploited or just overlooked if you don't fight for yourself, market yourself, defend your position.

SPEAKER_01 9:55

The teaching confronts that fear directly. It provides the ultimate defense strategy, arguing. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. So if you choose humility, you're essentially activating divine protection.

SPEAKER_02 10:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:09

You're handing over your defense department, so to speak, to the one who, according to these sources, is the only one truly fit to judge and defend.

SPEAKER_02 10:16

And the sources give a really powerful, almost shocking example of this defense in action. Can you remind us what happened when Miriam and Aaron challenged Moses?

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Oh, yeah. The stakes there were huge. Miriam was Moses' older sister, a prophetess herself. Aaron was his older brother, the high priest.

SPEAKER_02 10:34

His inner circle family.

SPEAKER_01 10:35

Exactly. His co-leaders. Yeah. Yet they criticize Moses' marriage and, more seriously, challenge his unique relationship with God. And the sermon highlights this key detail. The Lord heard their challenge.

SPEAKER_02 10:47

And Moses didn't have to do anything.

SPEAKER_01 10:49

Didn't lift a finger, didn't say a word in his own defense, according to the account. God intervened instantly.

SPEAKER_02 10:56

And the intervention was pretty intense.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

It was immediate and very public.

SPEAKER_02 11:01

Right.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

God defended Moses by instantly striking Miriam with leprosy. A dramatic, visible, deeply humiliating consequence. Wow. The sermon uses really strong language here. It refers to God as the greatest avenger for the humble. The message is crystal clear.

SPEAKER_02 11:19

Which is.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

When you choose humility by submitting to that higher will, you forfeit the right to fight your own battles, yes. But you gain an exponentially more powerful protector.

SPEAKER_02 11:28

Okay, that dramatically clarifies the difference. Between seeing humility as weakness and the reality presented here, humility is strength. The source uses the word meekness to make this distinction, right?

SPEAKER_01 11:40

Yes, meekness is the key ingredient they introduce.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 11:42

And it's defined as controlled strength.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Controlled strength.

SPEAKER_01 11:45

Meaning you have the full capacity to retaliate, to dominate, to you know, metaphorically club the person insulting you or destroy the competitor threatening your job.

SPEAKER_02 11:53

But you choose not to.

SPEAKER_01 11:54

You actively choose not to. The source emphasizes that choosing meekness means you're not lowering your standard or your maturity level to fight back on their terms.

SPEAKER_02 12:05

You have the strength, but you withhold it.

SPEAKER_01 12:07

Precisely. You control it, like turning the other cheek, even when you could easily strike back.

SPEAKER_02 12:12

This loops back perfectly then to those practical situations, like a high-stakes job interview or a performance review. Yes. If you have this kind of confidence, this meekness, how should you present your talents without falling into that prideful comparison trap?

SPEAKER_01 12:27

You should absolutely present your gifts and accomplishments. The teaching isn't about hiding them, but the caution is avoid presenting them in comparison to another.

SPEAKER_02 12:36

Don't measure yourself against others in the room.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

Exactly. The confidence needed comes from your identity, as the teaching frames it, as a child of the king. The belief that your promotion isn't ultimately based on your ability to outshine colleagues, but on your willingness to operate under this higher principle of humility and obedience. Right. If you remain humble, the promise from the source material is clear. You will be promoted and exalted eventually by the right authority.

SPEAKER_02 13:03

So you focus on what you can contribute, your service.

SPEAKER_01 13:06

And you let the divine system, as it were, handle the advancement. What's really striking here is how this sermon fundamentally transforms humility. It takes it from being this abstract, maybe passive virtue.

SPEAKER_02 13:17

Isn't that just being quiet or nice?

SPEAKER_01 13:19

And frames it as a conscious, daily, almost strategic decision. It's about actively choosing to submit to a higher will, the will of the Father, as they put it.

SPEAKER_02 13:29

And letting that secure identity dictate how you respond to everything conflict, challenge, opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 13:35

Exactly. And in doing that, you gain access to this unparalleled defense system we talked about.

SPEAKER_02 13:40

Right. So we've established humility isn't about being quiet or passive. It's actually about having this profound internal strength. The strength to say, let God judge between you and I, even when everything in you wants to fight back.

SPEAKER_01 13:53

Mm-hmm. That takes real strength.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

So what does all this mean for you, listening? The definition we've kind of extracted today argues that true humility isn't about feeling small or worthless.

SPEAKER_01 14:05

No, not at all.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

It's about knowing you are potentially great, capable, gifted, but choosing profound restraint and obedience above self-promotion or self-defense.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Aaron Powell And if we connect this back to the bigger picture the teaching presented, the sources show this consistent pattern throughout history, don't they?

SPEAKER_02 14:23

Aaron Powell with key leaders.

SPEAKER_01 14:24

Yeah. Moses, Joseph, Jesus' disciples. They were always headhunted, you could say, sought out by God.

SPEAKER_02 14:31

Aaron Ross Powell They didn't market themselves for the top job, didn't self-nominate.

SPEAKER_01 14:34

No. Which raises, I think, a really important question for you to consider this week. Okay. If God primarily headhunts those who are humble, those already operating in obedience, focused on serving rather than self-marketing, what immediate opportunities might you be missing out on right now?

SPEAKER_02 14:50

Because you're focused on what? Marketing yourself, polishing your resume, fighting for position.

SPEAKER_01 14:56

Instead of perhaps focusing on obedience and waiting for your divine call, it's a provocative thought to end on.

SPEAKER_00 15:04

As we wrap up today's episode, I want to leave you with a challenge. Look at the ladder you are currently climbing. Is it built on the pride of life? Or is it the kingdom's ladder of humility? Remember, true humility isn't weakness, it is controlled strength used to do God's will rather than your own. Instead of defending your position this week, try letting your shepherd lead. Thanks for listening to Life Unpack, and we'll see you next time as we continue to explore the currency that truly matters and unpack life by the unfolding of God's word.