The Clothing of Humility – Putting on the Garments (1) – Herald of Grace

Dr. Peter Masters

Serving the Lord with all humility of mind

‘Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble’ (1 Peter 5.5).

What an amazing exhortation this is in these days of assertive self-confidence! As Christian believers we are to be ‘subject one to another’, not assertive, not resistant to advice, not resistant to mutual admonition between ourselves, but ready to respect the experience and light of others. Then there follows this powerful command – ‘be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.’

The Greek means something like this: clothe yourself as you would for some physical, menial task. Put on an apron, or some other protective clothing, and be ready for action.

Humility, therefore, is a virtue which must be consciously adopted and maintained, like an overall. This is Peter’s equivalent to Paul’s Christian armour in Ephesians 6, except that Peter focuses entirely on humility. Through prayer, we must don the protective clothing of humility to know the continuing favour of God, and to experience blessing in his service.
The clothing of which Peter speaks is not merely a jacket or a hat, it provides total protection, because we are vulnerable to all forms of pride, intellectual and spiritual, also pride in our gifts and our accomplishments. Humility is the only garment that can protect us from so many arrows of pride.

Do you make good judgements about different situations? If you do, the likelihood is you will become proud of this ability, and you will soon be exercising your own overrated human judgement on all kinds of matters rather than applying the principles of the Word.

Intellectual pride is a near neighbour, causing people to care more about being recognised for their gift than about using it humbly for the Lord. John Calvin remarked that ‘everyone has in him the soul of a king,’ and that is the trouble with pride. It creeps into us, and if we do not consciously resist it, we soon become ugly and repugnant in the sight of our Redeemer and Lord.

Pride has been described as being like weeds in a garden, kept at bay only by relentless hoeing and plucking. More than forty years ago, my wife and I had two reception rooms in our house knocked into one, the central wall being solid brickwork. Everything was sealed up to protect the rest of the house against the dust, but you cannot keep brick dust from penetrating everywhere, and for weeks that dust continued to settle. Pride is just like that.

It is like a virus attacking your computer. You need protective systems to keep it out, and they have to be revised daily to maintain security. If we do not realise that pride attacks constantly, and if we dream along with the idea that we can check our pride situation once a month, we will certainly become deeply infected victims.

Spurgeon said that if the last enemy to be destroyed is death, the second to last will be pride. Of course, he was speaking imaginatively, but how penetrating, polluting, tenacious and destructive pride is! One of John Newton’s devotional poems shows how pride (he calls it ‘self’) may wreck even zeal. Here are just three stanzas:–

Zeal is that pure and heavenly flame
The fire of love supplies;
While that which often bears the name
Is self in a disguise.
But self, however well employed,
Has its own ends in view,
And says, as boasting Jehu cried,
‘Come, see what I can do.’
Dear Lord, the idol ‘self’ dethrone,
And from our hearts remove;
And let no zeal by us be shown,
But that which springs from love.

When we are in a condition of pride we readily talk about ourselves, and even if our words are not blatantly boastful or self-preening, we nevertheless advertise ourselves, whether by word or – these days – by blog.

The point is that pride gets into every aspect of the Christian life if we do not prayerfully don the clothing of humility. Do we know where to find this clothing, and what we are looking for? Do we put on the clothing of humility every day, constantly updating our resistance to pride? It can be done (with the Lord’s help) otherwise we would not be commanded to do it.

Forgive the simplicity of this illustration, but we must open the wardrobe of the spiritual life, and as our eye ranges across the garments hanging there, we must recognise and select the following parts of the clothing of humility.

1 Think More of Others than Self

Firstly, humility will think less of self and more of others (Philippians 2.4). How do we become clothed with humility? When we find ourselves thinking too much about ourselves and our concerns, whether hunting for self-advantage, or feeling sorry for ourselves, we must offer emergency prayer to God and switch off this whole train of thought, turning our minds to the affairs of others and praying for them. Humility thinks more of others than it thinks of self. Through prayer and desire, with the putting to death of self-centred thinking, and the conscious redirection of our minds to the needs of other people, especially their need of the Gospel, we put on the clothing of humility.

2 A Servant Spirit

Secondly, humility is ready to do anything for the Lord. It never recoils from any necessary task saying, ‘I am not doing that; it is beneath me. It is unreasonable to ask it of me.’ If something is advantageous to the cause, or will relieve the distress of others, humility is always willing to do it.

This is not only the standard for every believer, but it is a good test or measure of our humility. I remember hearing about a young man who had just secured his PhD in theology and been appointed as an assistant pastor. He sent a letter to the church leaders listing all the things that were beneath his dignity, such as putting out chairs for his youth meeting.

Humility thinks like a servant, firstly of the Lord and also of others. The model of Christian life in the New Testament is that of a bondslave who is always looking out for the wishes of his master, and this is exactly our ideal attitude. Nothing is too much for a bondslave of Christ. Will we take up work in the Sunday School, teaching or driving a collecting vehicle, or setting up and clearing away? Or is it inconvenient because we like to rest, or read, or visit others for social pleasure, or even watch television?

To be clothed with humility means there will be nothing we will not do to please Christ, and also to assist other believers, whatever their needs. Everything we have will be at the disposal of our Master, because humility is servanthood. Nothing which needs to be done for Christ is too much trouble or too lowly for the humble person, and putting on the clothing of humility means that we tell ourselves this every day.

3 See Our Own Weaknesses

Thirdly, humility is always ready to see one’s own weaknesses and to try harder. It is naturally inclined to self-examination and self-assessment, and it is determined to be more diligent and to learn.

Humility really believes in constant improvement, and values criticism. It is ready to see relevant points even in hostile and unreasonable criticism, because its greatest concern is to please the Lord and to advance the cause. It is willing to be shaped by circumstances or by people, especially by husband or wife, and even by children. Prickly self-defence is a symptom of pride, whereas the clothing of humility is a longing to improve.

To put on the clothing of humility includes a daily review of sins and faults, whether of thoughts, words or deeds, whether of sins committed or duties not carried out. Pride skims over self–examination, or practises it only occasionally and superficially, but the baring of one’s heart to God in daily repentance fosters a humility which is genuine and lasting.

4 Seek no Recognition

Fourthly, humility is willing to go unrecognised, unthanked and unpraised for what it does, however unfair it may seem. As soon as the thought enters the mind: ‘No one ever thanks me for what I do; I have received no acknowledgement and no thanks,’ humility sweeps that thought aside, counting every act of service a privilege from the Lord. True humility bears no -resentment.

Moses was the meekest of men, who for most of his leadership of the Israelites received little apparent praise to sweeten the undying unreasonableness of the people. The Saviour himself endured constant hostility, and so did Paul. They were certainly loved by many, but opposed and attacked by many more.

Humility keeps no record of ingratitude and refuses to think about it. So let us put on the following garment: a constant sense of gratitude and privilege that we can serve the Lord and other people.

5 Never Unpleasant

Fifthly, humility is never rough, abrasive or unkind toward other people, nor does it have a critical spirit. It is pride that returns evil for evil, that cannot bear being offended or decried. It is pride that criticises and finds fault in everything but itself. To be clothed with humility is to adopt a determination to maintain a courteous reaction to everything outwardly, while remembering that we represent our Lord and Saviour in every situation.

Great care is needed to avoid the habit of criticising others. The devil knows that if he can plant a critical spirit in us, our pride will be boosted far more than by flattery or riches. We must test all things, and criticism in the right spirit is needed to maintain the purity of doctrine and practice in the church. But an innate negative spirit is by its nature superior, arrogant, despising and self-blinding, all at the same time. We must tear away from us the perpetual fault-finding tendency, even when it appears in subtle form, such as in a sense of humour which majors on ridiculing other people and their ways.

To put on the clothing of humility means to adopt a positive, kindly, supportive, encouraging spirit whenever possible, never rushing to assume the role of spiritual magistrate over others.

6 Always Approachable

Sixthly, humility is never aloof, but approachable by others. It will always accommodate others, never utilising coldness to discourage conversation or fellowship. It will engage with both the youngest and the oldest fellow believer, and embrace all sorts and nationalities. It has the spirit and disposition urged upon us in James 2, where the poor man is to be welcomed and respected just like the rich. And, of course, humility forgives and forbears, major words featuring repeatedly in the New Testament.

It is pride that will not let go of offence, but the garment of humility is always ‘peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated’ (James 3.17).