Being and Doing – 5 March – Humility
IT is the oneness of the soul’s life with God’s life that at once makes us try to be like Him, and brings forth our unlikeness to Him. It is the source at once of aspiration and humility. The more aspiration the more humility. Humility comes by aspiration. If, in all Christian history, it has been the souls which most looked up that were the humblest souls; if to-day the rescue of a soul from foolish pride must be not by a depreciation of present attainment, but by opening more and more the vastness of the future possibility; if the Christian man keeps his soul full of the sense of littleness, even in all his hardest work for Christ, not by denying his own stature, but by standing up at his whole height, and then looking up in love and awe and seeing God tower into infinitude above him – certainly all this stamps the morality which is wrought out within the idea of Jesus with this singular excellence, that it has solved the problem of faithfulness and pride, and made possible humility by aspiration.
PHILLIPS BROOKS.
I CAN do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
PHIL. iv. 13.
oooOOOooo
These quotes are from ‘Being and Doing’ A selection of helpful thoughts from various authors arranged for daily reading.
Collected by Constance M Whishaw and first published in 1908 for members of the Being and Doing Guild whose object is to do all they can for the relief of suffering and misery.
Most of the writers are 19th Century Christians from Britain and Europe who were committed to living their faith through deeds as well as words – Being AND Doing.
For many years these words have kept me company and encouraged me on the journey of faith. I hope they will encourage others also.
Suffolk Vicar 