The highest lesson? Humility
Andrew Murray says if you’re not growing in virtue, it’s because you lack humility, the root of all other virtues. His book Humility was first published in 1895. It’s challenging but rich.
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Excerpt from Humility
The highest lesson a believer has to learn is humility.
Oh that every Christian who seek to advance in holiness may remember this well! There may be intense consecration, and fervent zeal and heavenly experience, and yet, if it is not prevented by very special dealings of the Lord, there may be an unconscious self-exaltation with it all.
Let us learn the lesson—the highest holiness is the deepest humility; and let us remember that comes not of itself, but only as it is made a matter of special dealing on the part of our faithful Lord and His faithful servant.
Let us look at our lives in the light of this experience, and see whether we gladly glory in weakness, whether we take pleasure, as Paul did, in injuries, in necessities, in distresses.
Yes, let us ask whether we have learnt to regard a reproof, just or unjust, a reproach from friend or enemy, an injury, or trouble, or difficulty into which others bring us, as above all an opportunity of proving Jesus is all to us, how our own pleasure or honor are nothing, and how humiliation is in very truth what we take pleasure in.
It is indeed blessed, the deep happiness of heaven, to be so free from self that whatever is said of us or done to us is lost and swallowed up, in the thought that Jesus is all.
. . . The highest glory of the creature is in being only a vessel, to receive and enjoy and show forth the glory of God. It can do this only as it is willing to be nothing in itself, that God may be all.
Water always fills first the lowest places.
The lower, the emptier a man lies before God, the speedier and the fuller will be the inflow of the divine glory.
The exaltation God promises is not, cannot be, any external thing apart from Himself: all that He has to give or can give is only more of Himself, Himself to take more complete possession.
. . . He that humbleth himself shall be exalted. Of the truth of these words Jesus Himself is the proof; of the certainty of their fulfillment to us He is the pledge. Let us take His yoke upon us and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart.
– Andrew Murray
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You can download Humility as a free eBook at manybooks.net. (It’s very short!)
My book review of Humility is here.
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I love Andrew Murray! I read a lot of his books when I first was saved. But this one on humility is one I have not read. Thanks for the reminder! xo
Dear Lisa
I think that there isn’t one of Andrew Murray’s books from which we cannot learn. He was a pastor in Graaf Reinette, not far from the town where I grew up, Middelburgh. Yes, this humble man was taught humility by our humble God Himself, just like all of us needs to!
Blessings XX
Mia