PROGRESSIVE HUMILITY

          Regarding the cultivation of Christian virtues, the apostle Peter has written, if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ...therefore be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you; for as long as you practice these things you will never stumble. (1Pet.1:8 & 10).  For all of us who seek to follow Jesus, our lives needs to be a continuum that displays the constant slant of a growing pattern.  We must continually make it our focus to be better and to do better.

          A careful scrutiny of three texts related to the apostle Paul serves as an illustration of this maturation of growth.  In 1Cor.15:9, Paul declares, I am the least of the apostles (this was written around A.D. 57).  In another letter written a half-decade later (c. A.D., 63), Paul states, (I am) the very least of all the saints (Eph.3:8).  In yet a third letter, typically dated a wee bit latter (c. A.D. 63-64), Paul affirms, I am the foremost of all (sinners) (1Tim.1:15).  Here we see a progression of humility:  first, Paul views himself as the least of the apostles; next he revises his view so as to speak of himself as the least of all the saints; and lastly, he perceives himself to be the chief of sinners.  It appears that as Paul grows older and wiser in the faith, he comes to realize more and more that he is but a humble servant engaged the work of His great God.  Once the noted missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, was introduced with a profusion of accolades and fanfare as to his personal accomplishments    After arising and standing quietly in the pulpit for a few moments, he then opened his message by saying, "Dear friends, I am the little servant of an illustrious Master."

          The naturalist William Beebe tells the story of multiple visits with Teddy Roosevelt at his home called Sagamore Hill.  After an evening of talk-ing, they would stroll the lawns and search the skies hoping to spot the lights in the lower left corner of the Great Square of Pegasus.  Then Teddy would recite:  That is the Spiral Galaxy in Andromeda.  It is as large as our Milky Way.  It is one of a hundred million galaxies.  It consists of one hun-dred billion suns, each larger than our sun.  Then President Roosevelt would grin and say, NOW I THINK WE ARE SMALL ENOUGH!  Let’s go to bed.

                                                                        Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ