by Jean Wilund
Humble people are appealing. They’re easy to work with. They’re a joy to be around. And they reflect Christ.
Unfortunately, the path to humility isn’t as appealing. At times it can be downright humiliating to be humbled, but it’s a blessing in the end.
God called Moses the most humble man on earth. But he didn’t start there.
Now the man Moses was very humble, more than any man who was on the face of the earth.
~ Numbers 12:3 NASB
When Moses was 40, he assumed his people knew he was more than the Prince of Egypt. He was God’s chosen vessel to rescue them from slavery (Acts 7:25).
He was The Man.
Until he became The Murderer.
And then he was the man on the run.
And a man humbled by God.
He fled to the land of Midian and traded in his crown for a shepherd’s staff.
After 40 years of leading sheep, God called Moses to lead His people out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land.
With a new humble heart, Moses served God and the Israelites faithfully. Yet, the humbling process wasn’t over for this “most humble man on the face of the earth.”
Every Christian Has a Choice
No matter how humble we may become, as Charles Spurgeon so eloquently put it, “Every Christian has a choice between being humble and being humbled.”
It’s a daily choice. Sometimes a minute by minute choice.
God humbled Moses, and he chose to embrace it.
And he left us a powerful example of how an imperfect person can live humbly before God after being humbled by God.
Jesus left us the perfect example.
Jesus willingly humbled Himself. He stepped down from heaven, took on the form of man, and obeyed God in everything He called Him to do.
He even allowed those He came to save to persecute Him.
And He submitted to the wrath of God for our sin through death on a cross. (Phil. 2:8).
Moses inspires us — and Jesus convicts us — to ask ourselves: What choice will I make today? To be humble or humbled?
Consider These 25 Quotes and Verses on Humility to Inspire You to Choose Well
1. “The surest mark of true conversion is humility.” ~ J. C. Ryle
2. “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.” ~ C. S. Lewis
3. “For the Christian, humility is absolutely indispensable. Without it there can be no self-knowledge, no repentance, no faith and no salvation.” ~ AW Tozer
4. “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.” ~ Saint Augustine
5. “Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call “humble” nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is a nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent chap who took a real interest in what you said to him.” ~ C. S. Lewis
6. Let God have your life; He can do more with it than you can. ~ Dwight L Moody.
7. The best definition of humility I ever heard was this – to think rightly of ourselves. ~ CH Spurgeon
8. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less. ~ CS Lewis
9. Does God ask us to do what is beneath us? This question will never trouble us again if we consider the Lord of heaven taking a towel and washing feet. ~ Elisabeth Elliot
10. I used to think that God’s gifts were on shelves one above the other; and that the taller we grew in Christian character the easier we could reach them. I now find that God’s gifts are on shelves one beneath the other; and it is not a question of growing taller but of stooping lower; and that we have to go down, always down, to get His best gifts. ~ FB Meyer
11. Man is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly state until he has compared himself with God’s majesty. ~ John Calvin
12. They that know God will be humble, and they that know themselves, cannot be proud. ~ John Flavel
13. Humility is knowing that everything that happened for the good was God, and everything that happened for the bad was you. ~ John MacArthur
14. Spiritual pride is very apt to suspect others, but a humble saint is most jealous of himself. He is as suspicious of nothing in the world as he is of his own heart. The spiritually proud person is apt to find fault with other saints…and to be quick to notice their deficiencies. But the eminently humble Christian has so much to do at home, and sees so much evil in his own heart, and is so concerned about it, that he is not apt to be very busy with other hearts… Pure Christian humility disposes a person to take notice of everything that is good in others, and to make the most of it, and to diminish their failings, but to give his eye chiefly on those things that are bad in himself. ~ Jonathan Edwards
15. “and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” ~ 2 Chronicles 7:14
16. “He leads the humble in justice, and He teaches the humble His way.” ~ Psalm 25:9
17. “When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.” ~ Proverbs 11:2
18. “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor.” ~ Proverbs 18:12
19. “For My hand made all these things, thus all these things came into being,” declares the LORD. But to this one I will look, to him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My word.” ~ Isaiah 66:2
20. “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?” ~ Micah 6:8
21. “He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble.” ~ Luke 1:52
22. “For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” ~ I Corinthians 4:7
23. “Therefore, putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.” ~ James 1:21
24. “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.” ~ James 4:10
25. “Every Christian has a choice between being humble and being humbled.” ~ CH Spurgeon
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