The fruit of humility

"Clothe yourself with humility toward one another..." 1 Peter 5:5.
I wonder if we realise that Jesus was perpetually 'clothed with humility'? Do we not see him as that amazing person who could raise the dead and heal the sick and perform miracles; who had people falling at his feet with wonder? Yet if we looked at his life from the perspective of heaven, as the angels do... we would marvel at his humility - at his simple trust in his Father - at the containment of his unlimited powers - at the covering over of his glory - at his becoming a meek and humble 'child'...

Have we a right view of humility? It is not a cowering servitude, or a denial of our giftedness or uniqueness. It is a willing surrender of our 'glory' to serve the good of another, while at the same time an acknowledgement that we are 'nothing' without him - his life, his grace, his love flowing through us.

Humility serves our heart need to be at rest, to be secure in one who is greater than ourselves, to be safe from feeling we have to 'run the world' or carry the burdens of life alone. This is why God 'resists the proud' but runs to the aid of the humble of heart. Brennan Manning says "He not only cannot resist them, he cannot refuse them anything." (The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus)

I have been endeavouring to serve some people who I want to show Father's love to through mowing and clearing up for some days. It has brought me joy...despite aching muscles... and now I find I need to go further and ask for forgiveness for ways I have offended them in the past. Humility will lead us to stripping off any self-justification or feelings of superiority. But I am confident this will align me with Jesus and bring the Father joy more than ever.