I had a college friend who would occasionally say, tongue-in-cheek, “I am the most humble person I know.” Though we knew that he wasn’t serious when he said it, it shows how elusive true humility is, for we can so easily become proud of our humility.

The Puritan Richard Baxter wrote,

Humility is not a mere ornament of a Christian, but an essential part of the new creature. It is a contradiction in terms to be a Christian, and not be humble.

A humble person knows his place before God, willingly carries out his calling toward others, and has an accurate estimate of himself.

Humility is embracing our proper place before God. In 1 Peter 5:6, we see that we must humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God. The same truth is communicated in Mark 10:35-45, where the disciples were striving for greatness before God and Christ gives a much-needed lesson in humility. At the beginning of his Institutes of the Christian Religion, John Calvin wrote,

Indeed, our very poverty better discloses the infinitude of benefits reposing in God. The miserable ruin, into which the rebellion of the first man cast us, especially compels us to look upward. Thus, not only will we, in fasting and hungering, seek thence what we lack; but, in being aroused by fear, we shall learn humility.

Calvin heartily affirms the words of Augustine:

...so if you ask me concerning the precepts of the Christian religion, first, second, third, and always I would answer, ‘Humility.’

Humility is also dealing faithfully with and carrying out our calling well toward others. Christ establishes this in Mat­thew 22:39 with His declaration of the second great commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” The humble person will do what he can for the greater good of others; he will put forth his best efforts to benefit those around him. Jesus displays the perfect example of humility in the act of washing the feet of His disciples in John 13. When we obediently do what we are called to do with satisfaction, joy, and purpose we are displaying Christ-like humility. A. W. Tozer said, “It is doubtful whether God can bless a man greatly until He has hurt him deeply” – and we could change the word “hurt” to “humbled.” C. H. Spurgeon summarized the first two aspects of humility when he wrote,

Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace, and fits us to deal efficiently with our fellow-men.

Lastly, humility is accurately knowing ourselves. This is brought out in Romans 12:3,

For I say, through the grace given me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think.

John Calvin often emphasized the link between humility and self-knowledge. Without humility, self-knowledge serves pride but with humility self-knowledge is most blessed. Humility smites our hearts in the awareness of our misery and lack. It also submits to God’s word of grace and salvation in His Son (Isa. 66:2). Finally, humility thrives in those disciplined by the Spirit to embark on this life of suffering and vale of tears in the anticipation of heavenly glory.

Helps For Humility⤒🔗

1. Hear – recover a sense of the glory and majesty of hearing God’s Word preached or read. The hearing and reading of God’s Word is the chief way God works humility and we manifest it.
    
2. Gather – humility enriches fellowship and fellowship encourages humility. Too often the company we keep fuels our pride; gathering with those who are lonely or in distress can teach us humility.
    
3. Suffer – submit to God’s hand in sickness, afflictions, trials, and persecution. Do not seek the removal of these things until you have learned well your weakness and leaned hard on God’s strength.