From chapter one there are many things I ponder. What is humility? What is pride? How can I live through His power and His goodness to strive for the first and avoid the second? Humility according to Andrew Murray is being entirely dependent on God by realizing that I am just an empty vessel in which He can dwell and manifest. Pride is when I think I am something more. Pride is the loss of humility and the root of every sin and evil. My desire is that I daily acknowledge my true position as a creature and that I yield to the Creator His place.
Jesus models humility. He became man. He continuously points all to His Father. He died in the most humbling way so that His death could be valued enough to provide redemption for me. In lesson after lesson in the Bible, he models and teaches specifically about humility. His disciples required constant direction in this area. So do I.
As I read through chapter one, I keep seeing a tree. Andrew Murray explained humility as the root of all virtues. Do you desire stronger faith? Be humble. Do you desire unconditional love? Be humble. Do you desire joy unspeakable and full of glory? Be humble. Do you desire strength from which you can weather any battle? Be humble. Faith, love, joy, and strength are just a sampling of fruits God allows us to harvest from the tree when our roots are planted deep in the soil to grow daily with Him. Without humility, there is no fruit, and only God can bring the harvest when our roots are but a vessel sending the nutrients from the soil throughout tree.
Humility must be desired. Humility must be prayed for. Humility must be the object of our faith. Humility must be practiced. To seek humility, one would be wise to begin by studying the character of Jesus Christ. This is where I find myself.
Humility is simple. We simply must realize that God is everything.
In leadership with Classical Conversations, I do not serve for personal accolades. I truly want to point others to Him. In order to achieve that objective, I simply must strive to follow the mission of CC. To KNOW HIM....and to MAKE HIM KNOWN. I do not want students to see a knowledgeable, patient tutor. I want them to see an all-knowing, patient God. As a leader, I want to prayerfully guide so that those around me see me following Him. In every decision, I want to be trusted as one who never steps forward without first bending a knee. I am but a vessel.
I am currently studying a text on how I can live on less. Less stuff. Less scheduling. Less pressure. Humility is the key here as well. When I humble myself, I realize I deserve nothing. The demand for excess loses its hold on my heart with that perspective. There is simplicity in humility. Nothing is owed to me. I am but a vessel...waiting for God to fill me so that others might see HIM.
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