Someone recently lent me a book by Andrew Murray entitled 'Humility'.. don't laugh if you read my recent post talking about being humbled! ;) Anyhow, it is SO good that I thought I would copy a portion of Chapter 2 here on our blog. I would encourage any Christian who is serious about his walk to read it. What an amazing blessing to me! Here is is: I retyped and shortened portions so please excuse any typos:
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth"
'Jesus's first words of his proclamation of the Kingdom of Heaven reveal the open gate through which alone we enter...The poor, who have nothing in themselves, to them the Kingdom comes. The meek, who seek nothing in themselves, theirs the earth shall be.The blessings of heaven and earth are for the lowly. '
"Learn of me , for I am meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest for your souls." He offers us meekness and lowliness, in those we shall find perfect rest of soul. Humility is to be a salvation.
The disciples had been disputing who would be the greatest in the kingdom, and had agreed to ask the Master..(Luke 9:46, Matt 18:3) He set a child in their midst and said 'Whosoever shall humble himself as this little child, shall be exalted." "He that is least among you, the same shall be great."
and later he said "Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." Even as the Son of Man came to serve" Humility, as it is the mark of Christ the heavenly, will be the one standard of glory in heaven; the lowliest is the nearest to God. The primacy in the Church is promised to the most humble.
Speaking to the multitudes and the disciples, of the Pharisees and their love of the chief seats, Christ said once again "He that is greatest among you shall be your servant." (Matt 23:11)
On another occasion, in the house of a Pharisee, He spoke the parable of the guest who would be invited to come up higher (Lk 14:1-11) and added "For Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." The demand is inexorable; there is no other way. Self-abasement will be exalted.
After the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, Christ spoke again "Everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." In the temple and presence and worship of God, everything is worthless that is not pervaded by deep, true humility toward God and men.
After washing the disciples feet, Jesus said (John 13:14) "If I then, the Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet" Humility seems to be the first and most essential element of discipleship.
At the Holy Supper table, the disciples still disputed who should be greatest (Luke 22:26) Jesus said 'He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. I am among you as he that serveth."
How little these teachings of Jesus are preached and practiced! How little the world has seen it.. how little has it been seen even in the inner circle of the Church."Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant." Would God that it might be given us to BELIEVE that Jesus means this! We need to learn this lesson that Jesus calls us to be servants of one another and as we joyfully accept this we will experience a fuller liberty from sin and self. It may at first appear hard.. only because of the pride which still counts itself something. But, when our hearts are set upon this, the true sanctification, we shall study each word of Jesus on self-abasement with new zest, and no place will be too low, and no stooping too deep, and no service too mean or too long continued, if we may but share and prove the fellowship with Him who spake, "I am among you as he that serveth."
Bretheren, here is the path to the higher life. Down, lower down! This was what Jesus ever said to the disciples who were thinking of being great in the kingdom, and of sitting on His right hand and His left. Seek not, ask not for exaltation; that is God's work. Look to it that you abase and humble yourselves,and take no place before God or man but that of servant; that is your work, let that be your one purpose and prayer. God is faithful. Just as water ever seeks and fills the lowest place, so the moment God finds the creature abased and empty, His glory and power flow in to exalt and bless. He that humbleth himself-that must be our one care- it is God's care and by His mighty power and in His great love, He will do it.
Jesus , the meek and lowly One, calls us to learn of Him the path to God.Let us study these words of Jesus until our heart are filled with the thought- My one need is humility. And let us believe that what He shows, He gives; what He is, He imparts. As the meek and lowly One, He will come in and dwell in the longing heart.
Condensed from Ch 2 of 'Humility' by Andrew Murray (public domain)
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