An ATTITUDE of Uncommon Humility – Food for Thoughtful Reflection

In my own devotional time this week I was reflecting on one of our church core values: Uncommon Humility. I was reminded of an unpleasant encounter I had with another Christian man and the derogatory assessment I had toward him afterword. After the incident, as I was stewing over my displeasure, the Lord spoke clearly to my spirit saying, “Andy let go of that – you need to let that loose.” 

There are two passages in the book of Matthew about the authority Christ has given believers – His Church – of binding and loosing. Matthew 16:19 and Matthew 18:18 both record Jesus’ words about “binding and loosing,” but they appear in different contexts, each emphasizing a distinct application of spiritual authority. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus speaks directly to Peter after his confession of Christ as the Son of God. Here, Jesus entrusts the keys of the kingdom, symbolizing the authority to declare the terms of entrance into God’s kingdom and to confront the power of Satan and hell. The imagery points to the Church’s role in proclaiming the gospel and exercising authority over demonic opposition under Christ’s headship.

In Matthew 18:18, however, the context is the life of the Church family and the handling of relational conflict, sin, and forgiveness among believers. The authority of binding and loosing here extends to matters of discipline, reconciliation, and community life. It recognizes that the attitudes, judgments, and decisions believers make toward one another can carry spiritual weight.  

When believers harbor unforgiveness, bitterness, or judgment, they can, in a sense, “bind” a brother or sister, placing a relational and spiritual weight upon them. Conversely, when they humble themselves and extend grace, prayer, and encouragement, they “loose” that person, opening space for freedom, healing, and restoration. While ultimate authority rests in Christ, the attitudes and actions of believers toward each other can either hinder or release (bind or loose) God’s work in one another’s lives. 

While, in the example above, I did not act or speak unkindly toward the aforementioned person, my unspoken attitude was not one of grace. I needed to prayerfully speak my forgiveness to him and ask the Lord’s forgiveness for my unkind attitude toward him. Furthermore, I prayed for the Lord’s blessing upon him; that my attitude not be binding but spiritually loosing to him and to myself. The value of uncommon humility is more than humble acts we do, it is allowing the Lord to help us maintain a humble attitude as well.

Andy Pruitt

WCC Senior Life Pastor