Whatsoever is . . . Noble

What do you think of when I say the word noble? Kings and queens? They call those who run with royalty the nobility. Still, when we think of the politics involved in those roles, it feels a little less than noble.

The kings of the Bible don’t give us much of an example. A few of Judah’s royalty lived well, but David is really the only one who gives us much of an example.

From shepherd to musician to giant killer to army commander to refugee, David had a rocky start. However, he had many qualities that give us hints of what it means to be noble.

The Foundation of True

David embraced the truth of who he was in his Heavenly Father, and it gave him the confidence of nobility. He believed, without a doubt, that God would go ahead of him. [1 Samuel 17] Because he knew the truth, he never tried to usurp the throne. And even when Saul tried to kill him, he refused to touch a hair on the head of the Lord’s anointed.

His self-worth didn’t come from a title. The truth of his identity allowed him to be a servant while he waited his turn to be king.

As the youngest son, relegated to work in the sheep fields while the rest of the family had a great feast, David could have easily taken his position to heart and let it define his self-worth. When David showed up to fight Goliath, he had already played his harp for the king a number of times. Still, Saul didn’t recognize him. What would that do to your self-esteem?

Instead, David had the same mindset as Christ hundreds of years before the most noble King was born:

Christ Jesus, Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God
something to be used to his own advantage;                                             
rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant. Philippians 2:5-7

Jesus knew He was God’s Son. His identity was secure. He never let human opinion define his value. And even though they were kings, both David and Jesus remained humble in the truth that they belonged to the Almighty.

Noble is the Way You Think of Others

Humility probably won’t make it to the top of a list of noble traits. Some think of it as weakness or a defect. Many mistake humility for a lack of confidence. It shocks people when I tell them that low self-esteem is just another form of arrogance because it usually causes people to focus even more on themselves.

True humility is born out of extreme confidence in our standing with Christ. When we come face-to-face with the reality of what Jesus did for us, we not only develop a deep appreciation for his gift, we also understand our worth.

Jesus is the King of the universe. He’s also the most noble and humble man who ever lived. Despite his regal standing, according to Philippians 2, He thinks of you and me as better than Him. Jesus’ every move is in our best interest.

If you think you’re nothing, it’s easy to think of and treat others better than you. In fact, there’s nothing noble about it. Humility doesn’t mean you think less of yourself. When you begin thinking of others through the lens of a prince or a princess who has been rescued by the King, humility comes naturally.

Noble is What You Do When No One is Looking

I think the reason we don’t understand the concept is that so much of what is noble goes unseen. Humility, for example, when advertised, immediately becomes less humble. Integrity works the same way. When you do noble things just so others will think you’re noble, are you truly noble?

With every aspect of Philippians 4:8, when Paul tells us to “think on such things,” we can turn our focus in two directions. First, we turn it inward. What would your life look like if you focused on becoming noble? Can you see yourself differently? Do you embrace the fact you’re created in the image of the Creator? Where do you need to adjust your attitude so you can be more humble and act with greater integrity?

Second, we focus externally. We look for the noble in every person and situation around us. As we retrain ourselves to look for the things that look like Jesus, we will find what we’re looking for.

A New Perspective

In an era when those who should have been noble were ruling with an iron fist and oppressing the poor, Jesus lived in poverty and lifted up the disenfranchised.

In the end, Jesus pulled off the most noble act imaginable:
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8

There’s nothing more noble than giving your life for others and expecting nothing in return. Paul described it in Romans 5:6-8:

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless,
Christ died for the ungodly.
 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person,

though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this:
While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

If you’re having trouble finding the noble to focus on, it’s time to center your thoughts on Jesus’ gift of salvation. He gave His life for us. Paul told the Philippians Jesus was so noble that He was obedient to death on the cross. The letter to the Romans reminds us that God’s Son died for us while we were still ungodly. That’s what nobility truly looks like. Jesus knew I would sin; still, He gave His life for me. This is the kind of noble we need to think on. It’s this message that will renew our minds as we build our list of Whatsoever Is.

This is a snippet from my book, Whatsoever Is…

You can order yours today