"The fear of the Lord teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor." Proverbs 15:33 (NIV)
"Humiliation of soul always brings a blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self, God will fill them with His love. He who desires close communion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord, 'To this will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word' (Isa 66:2). If you would climb to heaven, stoop. Do we not say of Jesus, 'He descended so that He might ascend'? So must you. You must grow downward so that you may grow upward, for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone.
God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' (Matt 5:3), which includes all of its riches and treasures. The whole treasury of God will be given as a gift to the soul that is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it. God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity that it is safe for Him to do so. If you do not receive a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. If our heavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in His holy war, you would steal the crown for yourself; meeting with a new enemy, you would fall a victim. So you are kept low for your own safety.
When a man is sincerely humble and never ventures to touch as much as a grain of praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace and equips us to deal efficiently with our fellowmen. True humility is a flower that will adorn any garden. This is a sauce with which you may season every dish of life, and you will find an improvement in every case. Whether it is in prayer or praise, or in work or suffering, the genuine salt of humility cannot be used in excess." (Evening By Evening, Charles H Spurgeon, pg. 104)
Further reading:
"Humiliation of soul always brings a blessing with it. If we empty our hearts of self, God will fill them with His love. He who desires close communion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord, 'To this will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word' (Isa 66:2). If you would climb to heaven, stoop. Do we not say of Jesus, 'He descended so that He might ascend'? So must you. You must grow downward so that you may grow upward, for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone.
God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit. 'Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven' (Matt 5:3), which includes all of its riches and treasures. The whole treasury of God will be given as a gift to the soul that is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it. God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity that it is safe for Him to do so. If you do not receive a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. If our heavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in His holy war, you would steal the crown for yourself; meeting with a new enemy, you would fall a victim. So you are kept low for your own safety.
When a man is sincerely humble and never ventures to touch as much as a grain of praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace and equips us to deal efficiently with our fellowmen. True humility is a flower that will adorn any garden. This is a sauce with which you may season every dish of life, and you will find an improvement in every case. Whether it is in prayer or praise, or in work or suffering, the genuine salt of humility cannot be used in excess." (Evening By Evening, Charles H Spurgeon, pg. 104)
Further reading:
- Psalm 18:27
- Psalm 25:9
- Psalm 149:4
- Proverbs 3:34
- Isaiah 26:5, 66:2
- Matthew 18:4, 23:12
- Ephesians 4:2,
- 1Peter 5:5,6
- James 4:6,10
