June 14God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble — 1 Pet. 5:5.
Above almost everything else, beloved, let us guard well our humility. It is only when we are little in our own eyes that God can use us with safety to ourselves. And yet He does not shield us from every test of fidelity. If therefore the Lord give you a little exaltation today, a little encouragement of success in His service, receive it humbly, meekly, remembering your own unworthiness and insufficiency except as God is pleased to work through you; and be just as ready to receive the humiliations of tomorrow as necessary for your discipline and the proper balancing of your character. If the success of yesterday makes you fret under the humiliation of today, beware! You are not as roundly developed spiritually as you should be—Z '96, 19 (R 1919). The proud have too high an opinion of themselves, rely upon themselves and seek self-exaltation. The humble of our race have a lowly estimate of themselves, trust God rather than themselves and abase themselves in His interests. The proud, aspiring to positions beyond their abilities and worth, frequently seek to displace others, and always interfere with God's order. Such, of necessity, God must resist; while the humble are continually being advanced by God, for their abilities and worth warrant favors, to which they do not selfishly and wrongly aspire—P '34, 95. Parallel passages: Jas. 4:6, 10; Isa. 57:15; 66:2; Matt. 20:26-28; Mark 10:43-45; Job 22:29; Prov. 15:33; 29:23; Dan. 4:37; Luke 14:11; 18:14; 1 Pet. 5:6. Hymns: 63, 47, 114, 134, 191, 229, 307. Poems of Dawn, 29: Not I, But Christ. Tower Reading: Z '13, 363 (R 5361). Questions: What have been this week's experiences in line with this text? How were they met? In what did they result? |
|
NOT I, BUT CHRIST
NOT I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow;
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden;
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
Not I, but Christ, in lowly, silent labor;
Not I, but Christ, in humble, earnest toil:
Christ, only Christ! no show, no ostentation;
Christ, none but Christ, the gatherer of the spoil.
Christ, only Christ, e'er long will fill my vision;
Glory excelling, soon, full soon, I'll see—
Christ, only Christ, mine every wish fulfilling—
Christ, only Christ, mine All in All to be.
NOT I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted;
Not I, but Christ, be seen, be known, be heard;
Not I, but Christ, in every look and action,
Not I, but Christ, in every thought and word.
Not I, but Christ, to gently soothe in sorrow;
Not I, but Christ, to wipe the falling tear;
Not I, but Christ, to lift the weary burden;
Not I, but Christ, to hush away all fear.
Not I, but Christ, in lowly, silent labor;
Not I, but Christ, in humble, earnest toil:
Christ, only Christ! no show, no ostentation;
Christ, none but Christ, the gatherer of the spoil.
Christ, only Christ, e'er long will fill my vision;
Glory excelling, soon, full soon, I'll see—
Christ, only Christ, mine every wish fulfilling—
Christ, only Christ, mine All in All to be.