Humility. How eager I am to be thought of as humble; how slow I am to actually die to my pride and be humble! As we considered last Lord’s Day from 1 Pet. 5:5-7, humility before God and one another is the garment we must constantly wear. Jesus Himself, of course, is the supreme example and source of the comprehensive humility we are to exhibit. I was convicted, encouraged, and helped by the following insights from Andrew Murray – I pray they are helpful for you as well.
“I cannot too earnestly plead with my reader, if possibly his attention has never yet been specially directed to the want there is of humility within him or around him, to pause and ask whether he sees much of the spirit of the meek and lowly Lamb of God in those who are called by His name. Let him consider how all want of love, all indifference to the needs, the feelings, the weakness of others; all sharp and hasty judgments and utterances, so often excused under the plea of being outright and honest; all manifestations of temper and touchiness and irritation; all feelings of bitterness and estrangement, have their root in nothing but pride, that ever seeks itself, and his eyes will be opened to see how a dark, shall I not say a devilish pride, creeps in almost everywhere, the assemblies of the saints not excepted. Let him begin to ask what would be the effect, if in himself and around him, if towards fellow saints and the world, believers were really permanently guided by the humility of Jesus; and let him say if the cry of our whole heart, night and day, ought not to be, Oh for the humility of Jesus in myself and all around me! Let him honestly fix his heart on his own lack of the humility which has been revealed in the likeness of Christ’s life, and in the whole character of His redemption, and he will begin to feel as if he had never yet really known what Christ and His salvation is. Believer! study the humility of Jesus. This is the secret, the hidden root of thy redemption. Sink down into it deeper day by day.” (Andrew Murray [1828-1917], Humility, Bethany House Publishers, 2001, pg. 26-27.)
Growing and shrinking with you,
Greg