During the earthly life of our blessed Saviour, we see how
everything connected with it teaches the lesson of humility. This is
pointed out in the beautiful collect in The Book of Common Prayer for
the first Sunday in Advent. Here we are taught to say:--"Almighty
God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put upon
us the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life, in which
thy Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in--great _humility_."
If Jesus had come into our world as an angel, it would have been an
act of humility. If he had come as a great and mighty king, it would
have been an act of humility. But when he was born in a stable, and
cradled in a manger; when he could say of himself, "the foxes have
holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath
not where to lay his head;" when there never was an acre, or a foot
of ground that he called his own, although he made the world and all
things in it; when he sailed in a borrowed boat, and was buried in a
borrowed tomb; how well it might be said that he was teaching
humility all the days of his life on earth! Yet he did not think that
_this_ was enough. And so he gave his disciples a special lesson on
this subject.
We have an account of this lesson in St. John xiii: 4-15. It is
taught us in these words:--"He riseth from supper, and laid aside his
garments; and took a towel and girdled himself. After that he poureth
water into a bason, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to
wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." Then occurs the
incident about the objection which Peter made to letting Jesus wash
his feet, and the way in which that objection was overcome. And then
the story goes on thus:--"So after he had washed their feet, and had
taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, 'Know
ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me Master, and Lord; and ye say
well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your
feet; ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have given you
an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.'"
This was a very surprising scene. How astonished the angels must have
been when they looked upon it! They had known Jesus in heaven, before
he took upon him our nature, and came into this fallen world. They
had seen him in "the glory which he had with the Father, before the
world was." They had worshipped him in the midst of all that glory.
And then, when they saw him, girded with a towel and washing the feet
of poor sinful men whom he came from heaven to save, how surprising
it must have seemed to them! And when Jesus told his disciples that
his object in doing this was to set them an example, that they should
do as he had done to them, he did not mean that they should literally
make a practice of washing each other's feet; but that they should
show the same humility to others that he had shown to them, by being
willing to do anything, however humble it might be, in order to
promote their comfort and happiness. It is not the act itself, here
spoken of, that Jesus teaches us to do; but the spirit of humility in
which the act was performed that he teaches us to cultivate. We might
go through the form of washing the feet of other persons, and yet
feel proud and haughty all the time we were doing it. Then we should
not be following the example of Jesus at all. When Jesus washed his
disciples' feet, what he wished to teach them, and us, and all his
people, is how earnestly he desires us to learn this lesson of
humility. And when we think of the wondrous scene which took place on
that occasion, the one thought it should impress on our minds, above
all others is--_the importance of humility_.
And if any one asks what is meant by humility? No better answer can
be given to this question than we find in Romans xii: 3, where St.
Paul tells us "not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to
think, but to think soberly." Pride is "thinking of ourselves more
highly than we ought to think." Humility is--_not_ "thinking of
ourselves more highly than we ought to think." And humility is the
lesson we are now to study. This is the lesson that Jesus wishes all
who love him to learn. It is easy to speak of _five_ reasons why we
should learn this lesson.
_And the first reason for learning it is--the_ COMMAND--_of Jesus_.
When he had finished washing his disciples' feet, he told them that
"they should do as he had done to them." This was his command to his
disciples, and to us, to learn the lesson of humility. And this is
not the only place in which Jesus taught this lesson. He gave some of
his beautiful parables to teach humility. We find one of these in St.
Luke xiv: 7-12.
On one occasion when he saw the people all pressing forward to get
the best seats for themselves at a feast, he took the opportunity of
giving his disciples a lesson about humility. He told them, when they
were bidden to a wedding feast, not to take the highest seats;
because some more honorable person might be bidden, and when the
master of the feast came in he might say to them 'let this man have
that seat, and you go and take a lower seat'; then they would feel
mortified, and ashamed. And then he gave his disciples this command:
"When thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room," or seat;
"that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go
up higher: then shalt thou have worship"--or honor--"in the presence
of them that sit at meat with thee." Here we have Jesus repeating
his command to all his people to learn and practise the lesson of
humility.
And then we have another of our Saviour's parables in which he taught
this same lesson of humility, and that is the parable of the Pharisee
and the Publican. We find it in St. Luke xviii: 10-15. The parable
reads thus: "Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a
Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed
thus with himself, 'God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men
are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I
fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.'" Here
we have a picture of a proud man. He pretended to pray, but asked for
nothing, because he did not feel his need of anything. And so his
pretended prayer brought him no blessing.
And then in the rest of the parable we have our Saviour's description
of a man who was learning the lesson of humility, and of the blessing
which it brought to him.
Here is a story told by one of our missionaries of the way in which
this parable brought a heathen man to Christ.
"That's Me." A poor Hottentot in Southern Africa lived with a Dutch
farmer, who was a good Christian man, and kept up family prayer in
his home. One day, at their family worship he read this parable. He
began, "Two men went up into the temple to pray." The poor savage,
who had been led to feel himself a sinner, and was anxious for the
salvation of his soul, looked earnestly at the reader, and whispered
to himself, "Now I'll learn how to pray." The farmer read on, "God, I
thank Thee that I am not as other men are." "No, I am not," whispered
the Hottentot, "but I'm worse." Again the farmer read, "I fast twice
in the week; I give tithes of all that I possess." "I don't do that.
I don't pray in that way. What shall I do?" said the distressed
savage.
The good man read on till he came to the publican, "standing afar
off." "That's where I am," said the Hottentot. "Would not lift up so
much as his eyes unto heaven," read the farmer. "That's me," cried
his hearer. "But smote upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me
a sinner." "That's me; that's my prayer," cried the poor creature,
and smiting on his dark breast, he prayed for himself in the words of
the parable,--"God be merciful to me a sinner!" And he went on
offering this prayer till the loving Saviour heard and answered him,
and he went down to his house a saved and happy man.
Thus we see how this poor man learned the lesson of humility which
Jesus taught, and how much good it did to him.
And it is Jesus who is speaking to us and commanding us to learn this
lesson of humility, when we read, in other passages of Scripture,
such words as these:--"Put on therefore--humbleness of mind,
meekness, long-suffering." Col. iii: 12. "Humble yourself therefore
in the sight of God." James iv: 10. "Be clothed with humility." I.
Pet. v: 5. In all these places we have Jesus repeating his command to
us to learn the lesson of humility. And this command is urged thus
earnestly upon us because it is so important.
When St. Augustine, one of the celebrated fathers of the early
Church, was asked--What is the first important thing in the Christian
religion? his reply was--"Humility." "What is the second?"
"Humility." "And what is the third?"--the reply still was--"Humility."
And if this be true, we need not wonder that Jesus should have been
so earnest in teaching this lesson; or that he should have urged so
strongly on his disciples to learn it.
The _command_ of Christ is the first reason why we should learn the
lesson of humility.
_But the second reason why we should learn this lesson is, because of
the_--EXAMPLE--_of Christ_.
There are many persons "who say and do not." There are some ministers
who preach very well, but they do not _practise_ what they preach.
Such persons may well be compared to finger-boards. They point out
the way to others, but they do not walk in it themselves. But this
was not the case with our blessed Saviour. He practised everything
that he preached. And when he gave us his command to learn this
lesson of humility, he gave us, at the same time, his example to show
us _how_ to do it.
He was illustrating this command by his example when he washed his
disciples' feet. And this was only one out of many things in which he
set us this example. When he chose to be born of poor parents, he was
giving an example of humility. When he lived at Nazareth till he was
thirty years of age, working with his reputed father as a carpenter,
and during the latter part of the time, as is supposed, laboring for
the support of his mother, he was giving an example of humility. When
he said, "The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister," Matt. xx: 28; and again--"I am among you as he that
serveth," Luke xxii: 27, he was giving an example of humility. When
he borrowed an ass to make his triumphal entrance into Jerusalem;
though he could say in truth, "every beast of the forest is mine, and
the cattle upon a thousand hills;"--(Ps. 1: 10), he was setting an
example of humility. When he hid himself away from the people because
he saw that they wanted to take him by force and make him king, he
was giving a lesson of humility. When he allowed himself to be taken
prisoner, though he knew that if he had asked his Father in heaven,
he would, at once, have sent "more than twelve legions of angels" to
deliver him, he was giving an example of humility. When he kept
silence, at the bar of the high-priest, of Herod, of Pontius Pilate,
like "a lamb dumb before her shearers," while his enemies were
charging him falsely with all kinds of wickedness; when he allowed
the Roman soldiers to scourge him with rods, till his back was all
bleeding; to put a crown of thorns upon his head; to array him in a
purple robe in mockery of his being a king; to smite him with the
palms of their hands, and spit upon him; and then to nail him to the
cross, and put him to the most shameful of all deaths--as if he were
a wicked man, who did not deserve to live--he was giving the most
wonderful example of humility that ever was heard of. Jesus, the Lord
of glory hanging on the shameful cross!--O, this was an example of
humility that must have filled the angels of heaven with surprise,
and wonder!
And when we think of all that Jesus did and suffered, to set us an
example of humility, it should make us ashamed of being proud; and
anxious, above all things, to learn this lesson which he did so much
to teach us.
"Imitating Christ's Humility." I think I never heard of a more
beautiful instance of persons learning to imitate the humility of
Christ, than is told of some Moravian Missionaries. These good men
had heard the story of the unhappy slaves in the West Indies. Those
poor creatures were wearing out their lives in hard bondage. They had
very little comfort in this life, and no knowledge of that gracious
Saviour who alone can secure, for sinful creatures, such as we are, a
better portion in the life to come. These missionaries offered to go
out to the West Indies, and teach those slaves about Jesus, and the
great salvation that is to be found in him. But they were told that
the owners of the slaves would not let them go to school or to
church. They would not allow them to take time enough from their work
to learn anything about the salvation of their souls. There was only
one way in which those poor slaves could be taught anything about
Jesus and his love, and that was, for those who wished to teach them,
to go and be slaves on the plantations, to work, and toil, if need
be, under the lash, so that they could get right beside them and then
tell them about the way of salvation that is in Christ Jesus. This
was a hard thing to undertake. But those good missionaries said they
were willing to do it. And they not only _said_ it, but _did_ it.
They left their homes, and went to the West Indies. They worked on
the plantations as slaves. And working thus, by the side of the
slaves, they got close to their hearts. The slaves heard them. Their
hearts were touched because these teachers of the gospel had humbled
themselves to their condition. While they were teaching the commands
of Christ, they were illustrating and following his example. How
beautiful this was! How grand! How glorious!
And yet Christ's own example was still more glorious. He laid aside
the glory of his Godhead, and came down from heaven to earth, that he
might get by our side. He laid himself beside us that we might feel
the throbbings of his bosom and the embrace of his loving arms; and
he draws us close to himself, while he whispers in our ears the sweet
words, "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
And so, when we think of the example of Christ, we should strive to
learn the lesson of humility which he taught.
_A third reason why we should learn this lesson of humility is
because of the_--COMFORT--_that is found in it_.
Just think for a moment what God says on this subject, in Is. lvii:
15. These are his words:--"Thus saith the high and mighty One that
inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy
place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to
revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones." Here, the same loving Saviour who gave us the command
to learn the lesson of humility promises to give comfort to all who
learn this lesson. And the way in which he secures this comfort to
them is by coming and dwelling in their hearts. And who can tell
what a comfort it is for a poor pardoned sinner to have Jesus--the
Lord of heaven and earth--dwelling in his heart? It is his presence
in heaven which makes those who dwell there feel so happy. This is
what David taught, when he looked up to him, and said--"In thy
presence is fulness of joy." Ps. 16: 11. And when that presence is
felt, here on earth, it gives comfort and joy, as certainly as it
does in heaven. It was the presence of Jesus which enabled Paul and
Silas to sing at midnight, for very joyfulness, in the prison at
Philippi, though their feet were fastened in the stocks, and their
backs were torn and bleeding from the cruel scourging which they had
suffered. And it was this presence of Christ in the hearts of his
people that good John Newton was speaking of, in one of his sweet
hymns, when he said:
"While blest with a sense of his love
A palace a toy would appear;
And prisons would palaces prove,
If Jesus would dwell with me there."
But it is only those who learn the lesson of humility that Jesus will
dwell with. He says himself, "If any man love me, he will keep my
words; and My Father will love him; and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him." St. John xiv: 23. And among the words of
Christ which we must keep, if we wish him to dwell in our hearts, are
those in which he commands the lesson of humility. It is only the
humble with whom he will dwell. For "every one that is proud in heart
is an abomination unto the Lord." Prov. xvi: 5.
The reason why so many people are unhappy in this world is that they
do not learn the lesson of humility.
"Learn to Stoop." The story is told of some celebrated man--I think
it was Dr. Franklin--who had a friend visiting him on one occasion.
When the gentleman was about to leave, the doctor accompanied him to
the front door. In going through the entry there was a low beam
across it, which made it necessary to stoop, in order to avoid being
struck by it. As they approached it the doctor stooped himself, and
called out to his friend to do the same. He did not heed the caution,
and received a severe thump on his head as the result of his neglect.
In bidding him good-bye, the doctor said--"Learn to stoop, my friend;
and it will save you from many a hard knock, as you go on through
life." This illustrates the comfort which comes from learning the
lesson of humility. It is those who are unwilling to stoop; or to be
anything, or nothing, as God wants them to be, who have no comfort.
"The Fable of the Oak and the Violet." In a large garden there grew a
fine oak tree, with its wide-spreading branches, and at its foot
there grew a sweet and modest violet. The oak one day looked down in
scorn upon the violet, and said: "You, poor little thing, will soon
be dead and withered; for you have no strength, no size, and are of
no good to anyone. But I am large and strong; I shall still live for
ages, and then I shall be made into a large ship to sail on the
ocean, or into coffins to hold the dust of princes."
"Yes," answered the violet, in its humility, "God has given _you_
strength, and _me_ sweetness. I offer him back my fragrance, and am
thankful. I hope to die fragrantly, as I have lived fragrantly, but
we are both only what God made us, and both where God placed us."
Not long after the oak was struck by lightning and shivered to
splinters. Its end was to be burned. But the violet was gently
gathered by the hand of a Christian lady, who carefully pressed it,
and kept it for years, in the leaves of her Bible to refresh herself
with its fragrance. Here we see illustrated the difference between
pride and humility.
"The Secret of Comfort." Some years ago there was a boy who had been
lame from his birth. He was a bright intelligent boy, but he was not
a Christian. As he grew up, with no other prospect before him but
that of being a cripple all his days, he was very unhappy. As he sat
by his window, propped up in his chair, and saw the boys playing in
the street, he would say to himself: "Why has God made me thus? Why
have I not limbs to run and jump with like other boys?"
These thoughts filled him with distress, and caused him to shed many
bitter tears.
One day a Christian friend, who was visiting him, gave him a book and
requested him to read it. He did so; and it led to his becoming a
Christian. His heart was renewed; the burden of his sin was removed;
and the love of God was shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost.
He learned the lesson of humble submission to the will of God. After
this, as he looked out, and saw the young people happy at their
sports; or, as he gazed on the green earth and the beautiful sky, and
knew that he must remain a helpless cripple as long as he lived, he
yet could say, with the utmost cheerfulness:--"It's all right. My
Father in heaven has done it. I love him. He loves me. I know he is
making all things work together for my good." He had learned the
lesson we are now considering, and we see what comfort it gave him.
And the thought of the comfort which this lesson gives, should be a
good reason with us all for learning it.
_A fourth reason why we should learn the lesson of humility is
because of the_--USEFULNESS--_connected with it_.
Jesus tells us, by his apostle, that "God resisteth the proud, but
giveth grace to the humble." St. James iv: 6. If we have the grace of
God we can be useful in many ways, but, without that grace we cannot
be useful at all. And this is what our Saviour taught his disciples,
when he said to them--"without me ye can do nothing." St. John xv: 5.
By the words "without _me_" he meant without my help, or without my
grace; or without the help of my grace. And it was of this grace that
St. Paul was speaking when he said--"I can do all things through
Christ who strengtheneth me." Phil, iv: 13.
And we could not possibly have a stronger reason for trying to learn
the lesson of humility than this, that our receiving the grace of
God, and consequently our usefulness, depends upon it. God will not
give us his grace to enable us to be truly good and to make ourselves
useful, unless we learn this lesson. And unless we have the grace of
God, we cannot be useful. Like barren fig-trees we shall be useless
cumberers of the ground.
Now let us look at one or two illustrations which show us how pride
hinders the usefulness of men, while humility helps it.
"The Fisherman's Mistake." An English gentleman was spending his
summer holidays in Scotland. He concluded to try his hand at fishing
for trout in one of the neighboring streams. He bought one of the
handsomest fishing rods he could find, with line and reel, and
artificial flies, and everything necessary to make a perfect outfit
for a fisherman. He went to the trout stream, and toiled all day, but
never caught a single fish.
Towards the close of the day he saw a ragged little farmer boy, with
a bean pole for a rod, and the simplest possible sort of a line, who
was nipping the fish out of the water about as fast as he could throw
his line in. He watched the boy in amazement for awhile, and then
asked him how it was that one, with so fine a rod and line, could
catch no fish, while he with his poor outfit was catching so many.
The boy's prompt reply was:--"Ye'll no catch ony fish Sir, as lang as
ye dinna keep yersel' oot o' sicht."
The gentleman was proud of his handsome rod and line, and was showing
it off all the time. His pride hindered his usefulness as a
fisherman. The farmer's boy had nothing to show off; so he kept
himself out of sight, and thus his humility helped his usefulness in
fishing.
"The Thames' Tunnel Teaching Humility." Most strangers who visit the
great city of London go to see the famous tunnel under the river
Thames. This is a large, substantial road that has been built, in the
form of an arch, directly under the bed of the river. It is one of
the most wonderful works that human skill ever succeeded in making.
The man who planned and built it was made one of the nobility of
England. His name was Sir Isambard Brunel. He was so humble that he
was willing to learn a lesson from a tiny little ship worm. These
worms bore small round holes through the solid timbers of our ships.
One day Mr. Brunel visited a ship-yard. An old ship was on the
dry-dock getting repaired. A quantity of worm-eaten timber had been
taken out from her sides. He picked up one of these pieces of timber,
and saw a worm at work, boring its way through. If he had been a
proud man, he might have thrown the timber aside, and said--"Get away
you poor little worm. I am a great master builder. You can't teach me
anything." And if he had done so that famous tunnel under the Thames
would probably never have been built. But Mr. Brunel had learned the
lesson of humility. He was willing to learn from anything that God
had made, however insignificant it might be. So he sat down and
watched the worm at its work. He studied carefully the form of the
hole it was boring. The thought occurred to him how strong a tunnel
would be, that was made in the shape of this hole! And when he was
asked whether it would be possible to build a tunnel under the
Thames, he said he thought it could be done. He undertook to build
it. He succeeded in the work. But, in accomplishing the great
undertaking that little ship-worm was his teacher.
And now, if any of my young friends who may read this book should
ever visit London, and go to see the great tunnel, as they gaze in
wonder at it, let them remember Sir I. Brunel, and that little
ship-worm; and then, let them say to themselves: "This mighty tunnel
is an illustration of the truth that humility helps to make us
useful."
"George Washington and His Humility." Here is a story connected with
the great and good Washington--"the Father of his country," which
illustrates very well this part of our subject.
During the war of the American Revolution, the commander of a little
squad of soldiers was superintending their operations as they were
trying to raise a heavy piece of timber to the top of some military
works which they were engaged in repairing. It was hard work to get
the timber up, and so the commander, who was a proud man and thought
himself of great importance, kept calling out to them from time to
time, "Push away, boys! There she goes! Heave ho!"
While this was going on, an officer on horseback, but not in military
dress, rode by. He asked the commander why he did not take hold, and
give the men a little help. He looked at the stranger in great
astonishment, and then, with all the pride of an emperor, said:
"Sir, I'd have you know that I am a corporal!"
"You are--are you?" replied the officer, "I was not aware of that,"
and then taking off his hat, and making a low bow, said, "I ask your
pardon Mr. Corporal."
After this he got off his horse, and throwing aside his coat, he took
hold and helped the men at their work till they got the timber into
its place. By this time the perspiration stood in drops upon his
forehead. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his brow. Then
turning to the commander he said:
"Mr. Corporal, when you have another such job on hand, and have not
men enough to do it, send for your Commander-in-chief, and I will
come and help you again."
It was General Washington who did and said this. The Corporal was
thunderstruck! The great Washington, though honored above all men on
the continent, was humble enough to put his hand and shoulder to the
timber, that he might help the humblest of his soldiers, who were
struggling for the defence of their country, to bear the burdens
appointed to them.
This is an excellent illustration of the truth we are now
considering. And certainly we should all try to learn the lesson of
humility which Jesus taught, when we see how it helps to make us
useful.
_And then there is one other reason why we should learn this lesson,
and that is because of the_--BLESSING--_that attends it_.
Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in her noble song about the birth of her
wonderful Son, said that God "filleth the hungry with good things,
and sendeth the rich empty away." By the "_hungry"_ she meant the
_humble_ and by the "_rich"_ the _proud_. And the "good things" with
which God fills them mean the blessings He bestows on the humble. Our
Saviour taught the same truth when he said, "he that humbleth himself
shall be exalted." Luke xiv: 11. Being exalted here means being
honored and blessed. These passages teach very clearly the truth of
which we are now speaking. They show us that we must learn the lesson
of humility if we hope to have God's blessing rest upon us. And it is
not more true that two and two make four, than it is that God's
blessing _does_ attend and follow those who learn the lesson of
humility.
How many illustrations of this truth we find in the Bible! Moses had
learned the lesson of humility before God sent him on his great
mission, which has given him a name and a place among the most
famous men of the world.
Gideon had learned the lesson of humility before God made choice of
him to be the deliverer of his people Israel from the hands of their
enemies; and then, for years to be their honored ruler. John the
Baptist was so humble that he said of himself that he was not worthy
to stoop down and unloose the latchet of our Saviour's shoe; and yet
Jesus said of him that he was one of the greatest men that ever had
been born.
The apostle Paul was so humble that he considered himself "less than
the least of all saints," and "the chief of sinners;" and yet God
honored and blessed him till he became the most famous and useful of
all the apostles.
If we turn from the Bible, and look out into the world around us, we
may compare proud people to the tops of the mountains; these are bare
and barren, and of little use to the world. We may compare humble
people to the plains and valleys. These are fertile and beautiful,
and are the greatest blessing to the world, in the abundance of
grain, and fruit, and other good things which they yield.
And then, if we take notice of what is occurring in the scenes of
daily life, we shall meet with incidents continually which furnish
us with illustrations of the part of our subject now before us, that
God crowns the humble with his blessing. Let us look at one or two of
these illustrations.
"The Little Loaf." In a certain part of Germany, some years ago, a
famine was prevailing, and many of the people were suffering from
hunger. A kind-hearted rich man sent for twenty of the poorest
children in the village where he lived, to come to his house. As they
stood on the porch of his house, he came out to them bringing a large
basket in his hand. He set it down before him and said: "Children, in
this basket there is bread for you all. Take a loaf, each of you, and
come back every day at this hour, till it shall please God to send us
better times."
Then he left the children to themselves and went into the house, but
watched them through the window. The hungry children seized the
basket, quarreled and struggled for the bread, because each of them
wished to get the best and largest loaf. Then they went away without
ever thanking the good gentleman for his kindness.
But one little girl, named Gretchen, poorly but neatly dressed,
remained, humbly standing by, till the rest were gone. Then she took
the last loaf left in the basket, the smallest of the lot. She looked
up to the window where the gentleman stood; smiled at him; threw him
a kiss, and made a low curtsey in token of her gratitude, and then
went quickly home.
The next day the other children were just as ill-behaved as they had
been before, and the timid humble Gretchen received a loaf this time
not more than half the size of the one she had on the previous day.
But when she came home, and her poor sick mother cut the loaf open, a
number of new silver pieces of money, fell rattling and shining out
of it.
Her mother was frightened, and said, "Take the money back at once to
the good gentleman; for it must certainly have dropped into the dough
by accident. Be quick Gretchen! be quick!"
But when the little girl came to the good man and gave him her
mother's message, he kindly said, "No, no, my child, it was no
mistake. I had the silver pieces put into the smallest loaf as a
reward for you. Continue to be as humble, peaceable, self-denying,
and grateful as you have now shown yourself to be. A little girl who
is humble enough to take the smallest loaf rather than quarrel for
the larger ones, will be sure to receive greater blessings from God
than if she had silver pieces of money baked in every loaf of bread
she ate. Go home now, and greet your good mother very kindly for me."
Here we see how God's blessing attends the humble.
"Humility Proving a Blessing." Some time ago a young man went into
the office of one of the largest dry-goods houses in New York and
asked for a situation. He was told to call again another day.
Going down Broadway that same afternoon, when opposite the Astor
House, he saw an old apple woman, in trying to cross the street,
struck by an omnibus, knocked down, and her basket of apples sent
scattering into the gutter.
The young man stepped out of the crowd, helped the old woman to her
feet, put her apples into her basket, and went on his way, without
thinking of it.
Now a proud man would never have thought of doing such a thing as
that. But this young man had learned the lesson of humility, and did
not hesitate a moment to do this kind act.
When he called again to see about the situation, he was asked what
wages he expected.
He stated what he thought would be right. His proposal was accepted.
The situation was given him, and he went to work.
About a year afterwards, his employer took him aside one day,
reminded him of the incident about the old apple woman; told him he
was passing at the time, and saw it; and that it was this
circumstance which induced him to offer the vacant situation to him,
in preference to a hundred others who were applying for it.
Here we see what a blessing this young man's humility proved to him!
And thus we see that there are five good reasons why we should learn
the lesson of humility. These are the _command_ of Christ; the
_example_ of Christ; the _comfort_ that humility gives; the
_usefulness_ to which it leads; and the _blessing_ that attends it.
The first verse of the hymn we often sing contains a very suitable
prayer to offer when we think of the lesson of humility we have now
been considering:
"Lord forever at thy side
Let my place and portion be;
Strip me of the robe of pride
Clothe me with humility."