In Humility, Gavin Ortlund examines how Christian humility comes from the joy and freedom of the gospel. The author argues that being humble does not mean being sullen or gloomy all the time. Rather, a humble person is one who aims to glorify God in every situation or circumstance knowing that all our gifts and abilities come from Him. Ortlund points out that when we reflect on the vastness and greatness of God as seen through His creation we cannot help but worship Him with humble hearts. When we learn to continuously acknowledge God’s majesty and power, we remind ourselves how incredibly insignificant we are. Moreover, when we remember how deceitful and prone to wander our hearts are, we realize how incapable we are of saving ourselves by our own efforts. In chapter three, Ortlund moves on to provide ten practical tips in helping cultivate humble hearts such as working at listening, practicing gratitude, and learning from criticism. The second half of the book focuses on how to foster Christian humility in the community of believers. The first discussion is regarding believers who are in leadership positions that are ripe with temptations for pride and ambition. One step in alleviating such temptations is to build a culture of freedom by being open to trust and rely on others instead of promoting one’s own abilities. Furthermore, leaders ought to be quick to encourage while gentle in offering correction so that younger believers do not feel discouraged or humiliated. Lastly, leaders ought to be swift to apologize for their mistakes and humbly seek forgiveness. In chapter five, Ortlund analyzes how envy is a frequent companion to pride in wrecking havoc to the fellowship of believers. Oftentimes, it is tempting to covet the spiritual gifts or abilities of another believer when we see fruitfulness in their ministry or calling. Instead of celebrating God’s work in others, envy evaporates all traces of Christian joy thereby robbing us of the pleasure of witnessing how God uses each believer uniquely to build His kingdom. Ortlund suggests we steer away from envy by reminding ourselves of all the spiritual riches made available to us through the gospel thereby freeing us from coveting what others have. In addition, we ought to remember that our brothers and sisters in Christ are part of God’s family too. The true enemy is Satan and his minions thus it is nonsensical to compete within God’s household. Moreover, we can learn to pray blessings on those that God uses so that more people come to know Him and enter into His kingdom. Lastly, when glorifying Jesus is our ultimate goal in life, there is no spare room in us to envy the gifts and talents of others. Rather, we yearn to witness and celebrate the fruitfulness of others who love Jesus just as much as we do. In chapter six, Ortlund examines how submission to spiritual leadership is an integral part of humility within the Christian community. While we ought to be wary and alert to spiritual abuse, we are called to willingly submit to Christian leaders God has placed in our lives. Instead of constantly challenging our leaders, we ought to be quick to receive godly correction and readily set aside our own preferences for the sake of God’s glory. The author also comforts those who are victims of spiritual abuse to find solace in Jesus who always cares for us and is the perfect friend to sufferers.
I gladly recommend this book as a timely reminder that humility is a crucial characteristic of all Christian believers. With pragmatic suggestions applicable to the entire body of Christ, Ortlund aims to help Christians actively cultivate humility in their everyday lives. As Christ took on flesh to live and die for us in joyful submission to the Father, we ought to imitate His humility so that we can also experience the same spiritual joy and fulfillment in our own lives. Ortlund urges readers to fill their hearts and minds with the richness of the gospel as the solution to combat pride and envy. When we recognize that our existence in this life and eternal destiny in the next is based on Christ who holds all things together, we dare not take any credit for ourselves. Furthermore, when our life’s aim is to bring glory and honour to God, there is no room leftover for self-promotion or boastful talk. Practicing humility is an opportunity for us to experience the joy of knowing that God is powerful enough to accomplish all things yet gracious enough to involve us in bringing about His will.
In compliance with Federal Trade Commission regulations, I was provided a review copy of this book from Crossway.
contemplative reflections 