Ah! Were Christians More Humble
Humility is the key to a peaceful, fruitful, and loving Christian life, and it is essential for our relationships with others.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the vital role of humility in the life of a Christian, illustrating how it fosters peace, fruitfulness, and cheerfulness in suffering. He argues that humility enables believers to serve both the highest and lowest among them, promotes grace, and encourages a spirit of love and contentment. Brooks highlights that a humble heart is aware of its own weaknesses while celebrating the strengths of others, leading to less contention and more unity within the church. He concludes that if Christians were more humble, they would embody gentleness and sweetness in their interactions, reflecting the beauty of grace in their lives.
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Labor to be clothed with humility. Humility makes a man . . .
peaceable among brethren,
fruitful in well-doing,
cheerful in suffering, and
constant in holy walking.
Humility fits for the highest services we owe to Christ, and yet will not neglect the lowest service to the lowest saint. Humility can feed upon the lowest dish, and yet it is maintained by the choicest delicacies, as God, Christ, and glory. Humility will make a man bless him who curses him, and pray for those who persecute him.
Humility is the nurse of our graces, the preserver of our mercies, and the great promoter of holy duties. A humble soul always finds three things on this side heaven: the soul to be empty, Christ to be full, and every mercy and duty to be sweet wherein God is enjoyed.
Humility can weep over other men's weaknesses, and rejoice over their graces. Humility will make a man quiet and contented in the lowest condition, and it will preserve a man from envying other men's prosperous condition. Humility honors those who are strong in grace, and puts two hands under those who are weak in grace.
Ah, Christian! though faith is the champion of grace, and love the nurse of grace; yet humility is the beautifier of grace! It casts a general glory upon all the graces in the soul. Ah! did Christians more abound in humility, they would be less bitter, selfish, and sour. They would be more gentle, meek, and sweet in their spirits and practices. Humility will make a man have high thoughts of others and low thoughts of himself; it will make a man see much glory and excellency in others, and much baseness and sinfulness in himself; it will make a man see others strong, and himself weak; others wise, and himself foolish.
Humility will make a man excellent at covering others' infirmities, and at recording their gracious services, and at delighting in their graces. Ah! were Christians more humble, there would be less contention, and more love among them than now is.
The humble soul is like the violet, which grows low, hangs the head downwards, and hides itself with its own leaves; and were it not that the fragrance of his many virtues discovered him to the world, he would choose to live and die in his self-contenting secrecy.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Humility
- The Benefits of Humility
- The Characteristics of Humility
- The Glory of Humility
- Beautifies all graces, casts a general glory upon them
- Makes a man have high thoughts of others and low thoughts of himself
Key Quotes
“Humility makes a man . . . peaceable among brethren, fruitful in well-doing, cheerful in suffering, and constant in holy walking.” — Thomas Brooks
“Ah, did Christians more abound in humility, they would be less bitter, selfish, and sour.” — Thomas Brooks
“Humility will make a man have high thoughts of others and low thoughts of himself;” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- Cultivate humility in your life by weeping over others' weaknesses and rejoicing over their graces.
- Have high thoughts of others and low thoughts of yourself, and you will be more gentle, meek, and sweet in your spirit and practices.
- Humility will make you excellent at covering others' infirmities and recording their gracious services.