August 19

The test of true humility

“Learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls” (Matt. 11:29).
“Walk humbly with thy God” (Micah 6:8).

Has the meekness and lowliness of Jesus captured your heart? The following points from an old French author will only increase your assurance if this is so. There are times when Satan will accuse the humblest soul of pride; times, too, when jealous friends will hurl insinuations to make it appear that your very best efforts are prompted by pride, rather than zeal for God and truth. How can you know whether these accusations are true or sent to test you? The following list of tests will help you to know:
The grand rule is to sound sincerely the ground of our hearts when we are not in the hurry of temptation. For if on enquiry:
We find it loves obscurity and silence;

That it dreads applause and distinction;
That it esteems the virtue of others and excuses their faults with mildness;
That it easily pardons injuries;
That it fears contempt less and less;
That it sees a falsehood and baseness in pride and a true nobleness and greatness in humility;
That it knows and reveres the inestimable riches of the cross and the humiliations of Jesus Christ;
That it fears the luster of those virtues which are admired by men and loves those that are more secret;
That it draws comfort even from its own defects through the abasement which they occasion;
Then you may trust that all the motions you feel tending to pride or vanity, whether they are sudden or are thrust against you for some time, are not sin, but temptation. And then it may be the best to turn from and despise them, instead of giving them weight by fixing your attention to them.

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