p. 228 | HUMILITY by John Norton Loughborough

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 3, 1868

HUMILITY.

By John Norton Loughborough

“When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the Lord anointed thee king over Israel?” The choice of the Lord is of those who are little in their own sight, as in this case of Saul. So with David. He was the man after God’s own heart, when he was following the sheep. Those who keep thus humble, the Lord can teach, and help, and he will do it, as we see in the case of Solomon. He says to the Lord: “Thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father; and I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in.” Being thus humble, we see how God blessed him, till his heart departed from God.

Humility is the only path of safety. Satan comes in, puffs up those who have responsibilities resting upon them, they go on in their own ways, and depart from the ways of the Lord. Blinded by Satan, like Saul, they may claim to be doing the commands of the Lord, when it is all human policy, all marked with the impress of the human instead of the divine. Thus they rush on, doing their own ways, under a misguided zeal, building themselves up instead of going in that humble channel where the Lord can work, until their career, like that of Saul, is checked by the teachings of the Spirit of the Lord, and they shown to be in rebellion against the Lord.

As we look at the cases of the ancient ones, we readily see their faults, and think, had we been there, we would not have done thus; but oh! the deceitfulness of the human heart. How readily we fall into crimes similar to theirs. Not that we have the responsibilities of kingdoms upon us; but in responsibilities that concern the church how important that we walk carefully and humbly before God, that in all our course the Lord may help us. Wherein we have erred may God forgive.

I speak on this as one who feels his own reproof, and wish myself to make amends for past errors by taking a humble position before the Lord and my brethren, abasing self, exalting at all times the Lord and his truth. Unless I move in that humble path, where God can guide and help, all my efforts to do good will be vain. May the Lord help, that thus I may fully recover myself from the snare of the Devil. May I ever feel my own weakness; for Paul saith: “When I am weak, then am I strong.” “Strong in the Lord and in the power of his might.” Amen.

J. N. LOUGHBOROUGH.

Petaluma, Cal., Oct. 9, 1868.