A Hog’s Guide to the Christian Life: Humility, Obedience, Generosity and Servanthood

What comes to mind when you think of a pig or a hog? We typically have a negative reaction  to this animal, but did you know the hog has a sense of smell more keen than a deer, has acute hearing and eyesight, and is highly adaptable to almost any climate? Hogs are really smart.

What does that have to do with Christianity? Well, I’m going to try to convince you that if you’re a Christian, you should try to live a HOG’S life.

First, the Christian’s life should be a life of humility. That’s the H in HOGS. Proverbs 22:4 says, “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life.” 1 Peter 5:5 says we are to “…be clothed with humility: for God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.”

Jesus humbled himself, stepping down from his eternal position with the Father into a broken world and wrapping himself in human flesh to save sinners like you and me.

Jesus humbled himself unto death. Our lives should be humble lives, not arrogant, prideful, and self-promoting.

Second, the Christian’s life should be a life of obedience. That’s the letter O. “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death…” says Philippians 2:8. Humility and obedience are connected.

Romans 5:19 tells us that because of his obedience, we have been made righteous. In John 14:23-24, Jesus said, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. …Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.” Obedience is a test of our Christianity.

Third, the Christian’s life should be a life of generosity. That’s the letter G. Proverbs 11:25 says, “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Proverbs 22:9 says, “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”

My pastor always says we’re blessed to be a blessing. 2 Corinthians 9:11 says “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.” 1 Timothy 6:18 says, “Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.”

One of my favorites is 2 Corinthians 9:6. It says, “Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.” God poured out his Holy Spirit on us generously through Jesus Christ. Our generosity is a mark of our Christian faith.

Finally, the S is for servant. We are Jesus’ servants, serving him and serving others. Matthew 20:25-28 says: “But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Take inventory of your own life – are you a humble, obedient, generous servant, living a contented HOG’S life? If not, how can the quoted verses inspire you to seek God first and follow him in humility, obedience, generosity and servanthood?

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