HUMILITY

Robert Ellis Key

Thomas Carlyle once wrote to a friend, "It is long years since I first saw the meaning of humility, and it came on me like water on one dying of thirst, and I felt it, and still feel it, to be the beginning of moral life."

True humility is spiritual. It signifies a subjection of self which is demanded by a knowledge of the omnipotence of God. Those who recognize the power of God naturally feel humble before this power. Humility compels us to recognize our personal inability and turns us absolutely to the infinite ability of Spirit.

The greatest men and women of history have been those of humble mind. Christ Jesus, impelled by spiritual humility, said (John 5:30), "I can of mine own self do nothing," and (verse 17), "My Father worketh hitherto, and I work." The Master recognized all spiritual ability to be the result of the ability reflected from his Father, God. The impersonal sense of ability made it impossible for him to be overcome by the personal sense of life and death. He lived in Spirit as the reflection of Mind. He acted as one wholly dependent on Mind, and turned to his Father for guidance and direction with an absolute conviction of Mind's ability to supply the need. In his exercise of spiritual intelligence he healed the sick. In his understanding of God's spiritual affluence he fed the multitude. Through his recognition of the supremacy of spiritual law he walked on the water and calmed the storm on the lake.

The question has often been asked by Christian people, "Can we emulate the works of Christ Jesus?" Christian Science answers this question in the affirmative. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 495), "God will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by God." The discovery of Christian Science reveals the spiritual law of the Bible so long concealed through ignorance and superstition. Now is the time for this law to be made practical in every detail of our daily lives.

Christian Science presents a present and ever-available salvation, giving us dominion over all that is unlike the eternal Mind and its harmonious creation. Peter said (I Pet. 5:6), "Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time." The Bible abounds with incidents that illustrate the healing effect of humility. We can recall the story of Naaman the Syrian, who was healed of leprosy when pride gave way to humility and he was willing to obey the command of the prophet Elisha to wash in the river Jordan seven times.

Again a note of warning is sounded against the danger of pride in the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, who became insane through his inordinate vanity and conceit. "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Dan. 4:30.) At that very moment his power of reasoning went from him and he ate grass like the ox, and his nails were grown like birds' claws, and "seven times" passed over him until he was willing to acknowledge God as the source of all greatness.

These warnings remind us of our need to be constantly watchful against the error of self-importance or personal ability. Mortals do not have the power to create or destroy, but all power becomes ours when we recognize our relationship to God as His reflection. Mrs. Eddy says (Science and Health, p. 301), "Few persons comprehend what Christian Science means by the word reflection." How ready we are to fall into the temptation to believe that we have personal abilities and personal success, and thus lose the idea of reflection.

When successful in an enterprise, let us turn to God in deep humility and thank Him for His gifts of wisdom and intelligence. It is His wisdom we express, His power we manifest, His love in which we find satisfaction. Humbly and gratefully we pass from one good work to another, recognizing that we are merely instruments in the hand of omnipotence. Our God-given ability to do good is unlimited. We may seem to have small material means and limited opportunities, but God's wisdom and love shine through one and all in equal measure, for God is no respecter of persons. It is our material human beliefs that belittle our understanding of divine ability. If we have a task to do, let us do it not only for the glory of God but with a clear recognition that the ability which does the work is divine ability and that we are humble servants of the omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient Mind.

We have entered the path of Truth through our acceptance and study of Christian Science. The doorway to achievement in this Science is not through pride of intellect or self-made ability, but through humility. By subjugating self and exalting Soul we discern, though at first faintly, the design of God in our affairs, and thus we are ready and willing to leave with the Father the treasures of our fondest hopes, knowing that we shall receive what is best for our spiritual happiness and advancement.

Robert Ellis Key

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FINDING SATISFACTION

March 7, 1953

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