Growing in Humility and Teachability: Staying Open to God’s Work

At Crossover, we believe a healthy disciple is someone who stays humble and teachable and keeps growing.

That may sound simple, but it is one of the clearest signs of spiritual maturity.

A healthy disciple does not have to pretend they know everything. They do not have to be defensive, unreachable, or allergic to correction. They are not trying to look deep; they are trying to become more like Jesus.

This fifth mark is called Growing in Humility and Teachability.

Because healthy disciples understand something important:

Growth requires grace, but it also requires openness.

You cannot grow while pretending you have already arrived.

Real Talk: Nobody Grows While Acting Untouchable

Pride is sneaky.

It does not always look loud, arrogant, or flashy. Sometimes pride looks like refusing feedback. Sometimes it looks like always needing to be right. Sometimes it looks like blaming everybody else. Sometimes it looks like being gifted but uncorrectable. Sometimes it looks like having Bible knowledge but no willingness to change.

Scripture says in James 4:6 (NIV):

“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

That verse should sober us up.

Pride puts us in resistance to God. Humility positions us to receive grace.

Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself in an unhealthy way. It does not mean insecurity, shame, or pretending you do not have gifts. Biblical humility means seeing yourself truthfully before God.

It says:

I need grace.
I need wisdom.
I need correction.
I need community.
I need the Holy Spirit.
I have not arrived yet.

That posture is powerful.

Jesus Shows Us What Humility Looks Like

If anybody had the right to be impressive, it was Jesus.

Yet Paul says:

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
Philippians 2:3, ESV

Then Paul points us to Jesus:

“He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:8, ESV

Jesus was not humble because He lacked identity. He was humble because His identity was secure.

That matters.

Insecure people often have to prove themselves.
Secure people can serve.

Insecure people need every room to notice them.
Secure people can lift others.

Insecure people cannot handle correction.
Secure people can receive truth without falling apart.

Jesus shows us that humility is not weakness. Humility is strength under surrender.

A healthy disciple grows in humility because they are learning to live from the approval of the Father, not the applause of people.

Stay Teachable or Stay Stuck

One of the most dangerous places in life is when a person stops being teachable.

They may still attend church.
They may still serve.
They may still know Scripture.
They may still have influence.
They may still sound spiritual.

But if they cannot be corrected, challenged, stretched, or discipled, they are stuck.

Proverbs says in Proverbs 9:9 (NLT):

“Instruct the wise, and they will be even wiser. Teach the righteous, and they will learn even more.”

That is a beautiful picture of maturity.

A wise person does not reject instruction. A wise person grows from it.

Teachability says, “God may use Scripture, leaders, mentors, friends, family, correction, failure, and even uncomfortable moments to form me.”

That is not always easy. Correction can sting. Feedback can feel personal. Growth can expose places we would rather hide.

But a healthy disciple asks:

What can I learn here?
What is God showing me?
Where do I need to repent?
Where do I need to mature?
Who can help me see what I cannot see?

That kind of posture changes a life.

This Hits Different

We live in a culture that often rewards confidence more than character.

People are encouraged to build a platform, protect their image, clap back quickly, cut people off, defend their truth, and never let anyone question them.

And yes, there are times when boundaries are wise. There are times when you need to reject toxic voices. There are times when you should not let people manipulate you with false guilt.

But we also have to be honest: sometimes what we call “protecting our peace” is really avoiding correction. Sometimes what we call “standing on business” is just pride with better branding. Sometimes what we call “keeping it real” is immaturity with a microphone.

Discipleship gives us a better way.

The way of Jesus is not fragile, performative, or defensive. The way of Jesus is humble, truthful, courageous, and open to growth.

Romans 12:3 (NLT) says:

“Don’t think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves…”

That is not self-hate. That is self-awareness.

A healthy disciple can be confident without being arrogant, gifted without being prideful, strong without being harsh, and corrected without being crushed.

God Uses Community to Grow Us Up

None of us can see ourselves fully by ourselves.

We all have blind spots.

That is why healthy disciples do not grow in isolation. We need people who love us enough to encourage us and honest enough to challenge us.

The Message paraphrases Proverbs 27:17 (MSG) this way:

“You use steel to sharpen steel, and one friend sharpens another.”

That kind of sharpening is not always comfortable, but it is necessary.

You need people who can ask:
How is your soul?
Are you really okay?
Are you avoiding something?
Did you handle that conversation in a Christlike way?
Are you making excuses?
Where is God stretching you?

This is not about control. It is about care.

Accountability without love can become harsh.
Love without truth can become shallow.

Healthy community brings both.

Peter Had to Keep Growing

Peter is a reminder that you can love Jesus and still need correction.

Peter followed Jesus, confessed Jesus, preached Jesus, and helped lead the early church. But Peter also got things wrong.

In Galatians 2, Paul confronts Peter because Peter’s behavior toward Gentile believers was inconsistent with the gospel. Peter had allowed fear of people to affect how he treated others.

That is a serious moment.

But it also shows us something important: spiritual leaders still need accountability. Mature believers still need correction. People with history, gifts, and influence still need to keep growing.

Peter’s story gives us hope because failure and correction do not have to be the end of the story.

God can correct us without rejecting us.
God can expose something in us to heal something through us.
God can use hard truth as an instrument of grace.

A healthy disciple learns not to run from correction, but to let God use it for formation.

Keep Your Spiritual Software Updated

Most of us know what happens when our phone or computer needs an update and we keep ignoring it.

At first, things still work. Then apps start glitching. The battery drains faster. Security gets weaker. Eventually, the whole system slows down.

Some of us are trying to live with outdated patterns.

Old reactions.
Old coping mechanisms.
Old pride.
Old wounds.
Old assumptions.
Old ways of handling conflict.
Old ways of avoiding pain.

The Holy Spirit keeps inviting us into holy updates.

Not because God is trying to shame us, but because He is forming us.

The question is: will we keep hitting “remind me later,” or will we let God do the work?

Questions People May Be Asking

“Does humility mean letting people walk over me?”

No.

Biblical humility is not passivity or people-pleasing. Jesus was humble, but He was not weak. He told the truth, set boundaries, confronted hypocrisy, and obeyed the Father.

Humility means you do not have to be ruled by ego. It means you can serve, listen, repent, and obey God without needing to prove yourself.

“What if correction feels painful?”

It often does.

Hebrews says:

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace…”
Hebrews 12:11, NIV

Correction may hurt, but if it is true and godly, it can heal.

The key is learning to separate shame from conviction. Shame says, “You are worthless.” Conviction says, “God loves you too much to leave you here.”

“How do I know if I’m teachable?”

Ask yourself:

Do I listen without immediately defending myself?
Do I ask for feedback?
Do I admit when I am wrong?
Do I apologize without excuses?
Do I learn from people who are different from me?
Do I allow Scripture to challenge my opinions?
Do people close to me experience me as approachable?

That list will tell us a lot.

“Can I be confident and humble at the same time?”

Yes.

Christian humility is not insecurity. It is confidence submitted to God.

You can know your gifts and still depend on grace. You can walk in calling and still receive correction. You can lead with strength and still listen deeply.

Humility does not erase confidence. It purifies it.

How to Walk This Out This Week

Pray this simple prayer:

“Lord, show me where I need to grow, and give me the humility to receive it.”

Read Philippians 2:1–11 and ask, “Where is Jesus inviting me to become more like Him?”

Ask one trusted person, “What is one area where you see God growing me, and one area where I need to mature?”

Practice apologizing quickly. No speech. No blame-shifting. Just: “I was wrong. I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”

Learn from someone outside your generation, culture, or usual circle.

Before dismissing correction, ask, “Is there any truth here that God wants me to receive?”

The Core Truth

A healthy disciple stays humble and teachable.

Not because they lack strength.
Not because they lack identity.
Not because they lack gifts.

But because they know growth is part of following Jesus.

Humility keeps us close to grace.
Teachability keeps us open to wisdom.
Correction keeps us from drifting.
Community keeps us from isolation.
Jesus keeps forming us.

A Simple Encouragement

You do not have to pretend you have arrived.

You do not have to hide the places where you still need growth.

You do not have to be afraid of correction when you are held by grace.

God is not finished with you.

The healthy disciple is not the one who knows everything. It is the one who keeps saying yes to God’s forming work.

Stay humble.
Stay teachable.
Stay hungry.
Stay open.

This is what healthy disciples do: we discover who Jesus is, develop into who He called us to be, and display His love in the real world.

Closing Prayer

Father, give me a humble heart and a teachable spirit. Free me from pride, defensiveness, insecurity, and the need to prove myself. Help me receive correction without shame, pursue wisdom with courage, and keep growing in the character of Jesus. Use Your Word, Your Spirit, and Your people to form me. Amen.