Humility and Self-Examination

Humility

What is humility of mind? Humility is to make a right estimate of one's self. It is no humility for a man to think less of himself than he ought, though it might rather puzzle him to do that. Some persons, when they know they can do a thing, tell you they cannot: but you surely would not call that humility? A man is asked to take part in some good work: "No," he says, "I have no ability;" yet, if you were to say so of him, he would be offended at you. It is not humility for a man to stand up and depreciate himself, and say he cannot do this, that, or the other, when he knows that it is untrue. If God gives a man a talent, do you think the man does not know it? If a man has ten talents, he has no right to be dishonest to his Maker, and to say, "Lord, thou hast only given me five." It is not humility to underrate your endowments: humility is to think of yourself, if you can, as God thinks of you. It is to feel that if we have talents, God has given them to us, and let it be seen that, like freight in a vessel, they tend to sink us low. The more we have, the lower we ought to lie. Humility is not to say, "I have not this gift;" but it is to say, "I have the gift, and I must use it for my Master's glory. I must never seek any honor for myself; for what have I that I have not received?" Humility is to feel that we have no power of ourselves, but that it all cometh from God. Humility is to lean on our Beloved, saying, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengtheneth me." It is, in fact, to annihilate self, and to exalt the Lord Jesus Christ as All in All.

Self-Examination

"If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious." "If"—then there is a possibility that some may not have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and it is needful to inquire whether we are amongst the number who know the grace of God by heart-experience. There is no spiritual revelation which may not be a matter of heart-searching. At the very summit of holy delight we meet the challenge of sentinel "If"—"If ye then be risen with Christ;" and at the very bottom of the hill, even at Repentance-gate itself, He meets us with a warrant of arrest, until He sees whether our sorrow is the godly sorrow which needeth not to be repented of. "If thou be the Son of God," is not always a temptation of the devil, but often a very healthy inquiry, most fittingly suggested by holy anxiety to men who would build securely upon the Rock of Ages. At the Lord's Table itself it is proper for us to pray, "Lord, is it I?" when there is a Judas in the company; and after the most intimate fellowship, Christ exclaimed, "Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?" Let no enjoyment of ordinances, let no high and rapt fellowship which we may have known, exempt us from the great duty of proving ourselves whether we be in the faith. Examine yourselves then in this matter, and rest not satisfied until you can say, "There is no 'if' about it; I have tasted that the Lord is gracious."

The First Lesson

The doorstep to the temple of wisdom is a knowledge of our own ignorance. He cannot learn aright who has not first been taught that he knows nothing. It is a good thing for a man to feel that he is only beginning to learn, and to be willing to submit his heart to the teachings of God's Spirit, that he may be guided in everything by Him. The prayer of the quickened soul is, "Teach thou me." We become as little children when God begins to deal with us.

Danger of Prosperity

High places, and God's praise, do seldom agree: a full cup is not easily carried without spilling: he that stands on a pinnacle needs a clear head and much grace.

The Right Estimate

The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem.

Self

Faith will never be weak if self be weak, but when self is strong, faith cannot be strong; for "self" is very much like what the gardener calls the "sucker," at the bottom of the tree, which never bears fruit, but only draws away the nourishment from the tree itself. Now, self is that sucker which diverts the nourishment from faith, and you must cut it up, or else your faith will always be "little faith," and you will have difficulty in maintaining any comfort in your soul.

Christian Gravity

When we make a profession of our faith in Christ, we are not to drape our faces in gloom, but rather to light our hearts with a purer joy than we ever knew before; and yet we must put away all unseemly levity. "I said of laughter, it is mad." I said it, too, in the day of the gladness of my heart. The madman's frolics, the drunkard's boisterous mirth—these compare not with the serene pleasure of our princely expectations. Walk as those who are looking for the coming of the Son of Man, hearing this voice in your ears, "What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?"

Short-Sightedness

What short-sighted creatures we often are! We think we see the end when we are only viewing the beginning. We get our telescope out sometimes to look to the future, and we breathe on the glass with the hot breath of our anxiety, and then we think we see clouds and darkness before us. If we are in trouble, we see

"Every day new straits attend, And wonder where the scene will end."

Nay; we conclude that it must end in our destruction. We imagine "God hath forgotten to be gracious." We think "He hath in anger shut up the bowels of compassion." Oh, this short-sightedness! When you and I ought to believe in God; when we ought to look at the heaven which awaiteth us, and the glory for which these light afflictions are preparing us; when we ought to be looking through the cloud to the eternal sun which never knows an eclipse; when we should be resting on the invisible arm of the immortal God, and triumphing in His love, we are mourning and distrusting. God forgive us for this, and enable us henceforth to look not at our troubles, but above them, even to Him who, with infinite wisdom and love, is guiding us, and has promised to bring us safely through.

Be not High-minded, but Fear

While we most earnestly seek after the full assurance of faith, knowing it is our strength and our joy, let us at the same time remember that there is a temptation connected with it. When thou hast gained this full assurance, believer, then be on thy watch-tower, for the next temptation will be, "Soul, take thine ease; the work is done; thou hast attained; now fold thine arms; sit thou still; all will end well; why needest thou too much to vex thyself?" Take heed in those seasons when you have no doubts. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." "I said, I shall never be moved. Lord, by Thy favor Thou hast made my mountain to stand strong." And what next? "Thou didst hide Thy face, and I was troubled." Bless God for full assurance; but, remember, nothing but careful walking can preserve it. Full assurance is a priceless pearl; but when a man has a precious jewel, and he walks the streets, he ought to be much afraid of pickpockets. So, when the Christian has full assurance, let him be sure that Satan will try to rob him of it. Let him be more circumspect in his walk, and more diligent in his watch than he was before.

A Lesson of Humility

When Jesus sent forth His seventy disciples, endowed with miraculous powers, they performed great wonders, and naturally enough were somewhat elated. In their words, "Behold, even devils were subject to us," Jesus marked their tendency to pride and self-congratulation. And what was the sacred lesson He taught to prevent their being exalted above measure? "Nevertheless," said He, "rejoice not in this, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven." The assurance of our interest in Christ will tend to keep us humble in the day of our prosperity; it will act as a secret ballast to us to know that we have something better than these earthly blessings, therefore we must not set our affections upon the things of earth, but let our hearts be where our greatest treasure is. Better than any lancet to spill the superfluous blood of our boasting—better than any bitter medicine to chase the burning fever of our pride, is this most precious and hallowed wine of the covenant—a remembrance of our safety in Christ. This, opened up to us by the Spirit, will suffice to keep us in that happy lowliness which is our true position. But when at any time we are cast down with multiplied troubles, the very same fact which kept us humble in prosperity will preserve us from despair in adversity. For the apostle Paul was surrounded by a great fight of affliction; and yet he could say, "Nevertheless I am not ashamed." But what is it which preserves him from sinking? It is the same truth which kept the ancient disciples from overweening pride. It is the sweet persuasion of his interest in Christ. "For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Then let us seek earnestly to obtain this full assurance of faith, for it will help us in all states of experience. Let us not rest content till we can say with Paul, "I know whom I have believed."