Emotionally Healthy Discipleship: Moving from Shallow Christianity to Deep Transformation

by Peter Scazzero

The pathway Jesus calls us to walk is an intentional move away from greatness-ism to being little or lowly. Jesus said, “Whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). Such lowliness is not abasement, self-deprecation, or a martyr complex. Instead, it is a humility that expresses itself in a willingness to be curious, open, flexible, and teachable—regardless of the title or position we hold. In other words, we do not always need to be in charge. In conversations, we don’t engage in impression management to cover our weaknesses in the hope that people will think we are somebody. Nor do we limit the kinds of people from whom we can learn or by whom we can be led.