Matthew 18:4

Matthew 18:4

I. Notice the expression, "Whosoever shall humble himself" it is not be humble"Whosoever shall humble himself." It implies a process, and then a victory; it recognizes and presupposes a state of pride; it declares humility not a gift, but an attainment, not by nature, but by grace. And this humility is as much better than a natural humility as the grace of God is better than a man's own disposition, or as holiness is superior to innocence.

II. How shall we cultivate it? (1) Be sure that you are loved. We are all inclined to be proud to those whom we think do not like us, and we all can stoop to anything for those of whom we are fond, and of whom we believe they are fond of us. Therefore the first root of humility is love. (2) Realize yourself the object of great mercy. Take your sorrows as a proof of remembrance, and all your blessings as each a mark of an individual favour to you; for this will endear God to you. (3) Be more reverential in your religion, because, if once you can establish the relationship of a true humility to God, it will not be very difficult to go on to be humble to man. He who has once felt as a child to His heavenly Father will be ready to be a child to every one. (4) Do acts of humility. For act feeds feeling as much as feeling nourishes act. God will mark His approbation of acts like these by increasing in you the humility which dictates them, and for the sake of which you have done them.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons,7th series, p. 235.