:: Humility :: The Glory of the Creature

As I dove into the first chapter i've seemed to have started a collection of highlighted chunks i have been chewing on.

"God wished to reveal Himself in and through created beings", "not giving to the creature something which it could possess in itself," " The relation of the creature to God could only be one of unceasing, absolute, universal dependence."

Simple stating in the first paragraph that we were created to reveal God to others while He communicates His own goodness and Glory.  This only happening through a never ending dependence. Although i have known this, the part of "while he communicates his goodness and glory" was something i really had to think through.  Somehow i have seen this and somehow pass it on as "oh this is a good lesson/revelation for {my kids, the ministry team i'm on, family members}" Instead of chewing on it and letting Him communicate what it is He has say to my heart first. I can only be used to reveal Him to others if i first know what he has revealed to me.

"Humility, the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue. While Pride, or the loss of humility, is the root of every sin and evil."

As we had previously seem the dependence of God needs to be a never ceasing one or it will be ceasing. Humility offers the healing and building up, that pride can so easily wipe away.  I believe the words from the Spirit of Prayer wrap this up well.  "Look not at pride only as an unbecoming temper, nor humility only as a decent virtue; for one is death and the other is life." "pride may die in you, or nothing of heaven can live in you.

 As i approach meetings or times when i am faced with someone whom i may not fully enjoy their company, i have found myself pushing myself to be by those, to engage in the struggle of fighting the pride that may oddly well up as i am not like them. Somehow the air of pride is gone as i realize that this fellow creature is made in the same image as i am.  There is no pride for me to own, i am not of my own design.  There is one who belongs on a higher horse, and i am not HE.

His humility gave His death it's value, and so became our redemption. His humility is our salvation.  His salvation is our humility.

If pride were in Christ during his life, it would have tarnished the redemption of us.  Knowing that Christ humbled himself to take our place and yet that he did so with out elevating his position. It was his Father's Glory, though it was his life.  May my life reflect the same.

Humility is the only soil in which the graces root. ---> bam, the reason i may not be as graceful as i wish to be with my children.  What other soil have i thought profitable for growing grace??


In the life of Earnest Christians,of those who pursue and profess holiness, humility ought to be the chief mark of their uprightness", "meekness and lowliness of heart are to be the distinguishing feature of the disciple." ----> yes, another ouch, right when i didn't expect it. What is my Chief Mark/distinguished feature??