HUMILITY, Ch. 4: Humility In The Teaching Of Jesus

     Andrew Murray again makes his focus on Scriptures as he highlights some of Jesus' teachings on humility, a feature He expected His disciples to learn and display.  As the author says himself about the verses he cites, "I can scarce do more than quote."  Here again are some of this chapter's points:

1.  Nine Gospel passages which feature our Lord's teachings on humility are shown, mostly from Matthew and Luke, but also one from John.  The major themes are:  the poor in spirit and the meek receive God's blessing; Jesus Himself offered His disciples His own meek and lowly state for them to receive; repeatedly, in different ways, Jesus taught that those who humble self/become servants of all/abase themselves will be greatest/exalted before God.  From these verses, Murray points out:  that humility is the chief glory, and the standard of glory, in heaven; that Jesus' meekness and lowliness is our salvation; that humility/self-abasement bring honor and being exalted before God; that humility before God and men is the prime value God seeks in us; that being humble and everyone's servant is the essential element for discipleship of Jesus.

2.  Murray again emphasizes that humility, as Jesus taught, is little preached or practiced.  Most Christians do not recognize how deficient in humility they are.  And few believers today even seek to have the humility of Christ.

3.  The servant mindset is little understood.  The good servant is totally devoted to pleasing his master, to serving his interests, to delighting in his success, prosperity and honor.  We should recognize that being God's servant, in that mindset, frees us from self and sin; but Jesus taught us more - to be one another's servant, which is even more freeing.  We tend to be blocked from this by residual self-focus and pride. 

4.  We must learn that being nothing before God is man's glory there, allowing us the mindset to serve our fellow humans, even those who are frustrating and hateful.  Through Christ's example and teaching we find no place too low for us.  Then we can be everyone's servant.

5.  Murray emphasizes that the "path to a higher life" is to go lower.  "Seek not, ask not for exaltation; that is God's work.  . . .  abase and humble yourselves, and take no place before God or man but that of a servant."  That is the Christian's work; God in His faithfulness will then exalt and bless.  Humility is not weakness, but the most Christ-like of all man's characteristics.

6.  To again quote the last paragraph of Chapter 4, Murray writes,  "Jesus, the meek and lowly One, calls us to learn from Him the path to God.  Let us study the words we have been reading, until our heart is 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."




Brief Comment:  This is another chapter that is worth reading and rereading, even memorizing.  Jesus expects His disciples to understand and display His humility.  We have no humility in our own nature; our daily failures and our continued self-focus tell us that.  Jesus was gentle in correcting the pride which His disciples showed right up through their Last Supper with Him, despite what they had seen in Him as they left all to walk with Him.  Our one need is His humility; He eagerly imparts that to all who seek and long for it.  Do we do that?  When we do, He abides in us so we can manifest His humble nature.