Chapter 262—For the Humble
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he
may exalt you in due time.
1 Peter 5:6
.
To be clothed with humility does not mean that we are to be dwarfs in
intellect, deficient in aspiration, and cowardly in our lives, shunning burdens
lest we fail to carry them successfully. Real humility fulfills God’s purposes
by depending upon His strength.
God works by whom He will. He sometimes selects the humblest
instrument to do the greatest work, for His power is revealed through the
weakness of men. We have our standard, and by it we pronounce one thing
great and another small; but God does not estimate according to our rule. We
are not to suppose that what is great to us must be great to God, or that what
is small to us must be small to Him.
All boasting of merit in ourselves is out of place.... The reward is not of
works, lest any man should boast; but it is all of grace....
There is no religion in the enthronement of self. He who makes self-
glorification his aim will find himself destitute of that grace which alone can
make him efficient in Christ’s service. Whenever pride and self-complacency
are indulged the work is marred....
The Christian who is such in his private life, in the daily surrender of self,
in sincerity of purpose and purity of thought, in meekness under provocation,
in faith and piety, in fidelity in that which is least, the one who in the home
life represents the character of Christ—such a one may in the sight of God
be more precious than even the world-renowned missionary or martyr....
Not in our learning, not in our position, not in our numbers or entrusted
talents, not in the will of man, is to be found the secret of success. Feeling
our inefficiency we are to contemplate Christ, and through Him who is the
strength of all strength, the thought of all thought, the willing and obedient
will gain victory after victory.... Blessed will be the recompense of grace to
those who have wrought for God in the simplicity of faith and love.
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