Hugh Binning on Humility Concerning the Individual and the Body of Christ

“Humility makes a man compare himself with the best, that he may find how bad he himself is, but pride measures by the worst, that it may hide from a man his own imperfections. The one takes a perfect rule, and finds itself nothing; the other takes a crooked rule, and imagines itself something.

But this is the way that unity may be kept in the body, if all the members keep this method and order, the lowest to measure by him that is higher, and the higher to judge himself by him that is yet above him; and he that is above all the rest to compare with the rule of perfection, and find himself further short of the rule than the lowest is below him.

 If our comparisons did thus ascend, we would descend in humility, and all the different degrees of persons would meet in one center of lowliness of mind. But while our rule descends, our pride ascends. The Scripture holds out pride and self-estimation as the root of many evils, and humility as the root of many good fruits among men. Only through pride comes contention (Prov. 13:10).

There is pride at least in one of the parties, and often in both; it makes one man careless of another and, out of contempt, not to study equity and righteousness towards him; and it makes another man impatient of receiving and bearing an injury or disrespect. While every man seeks to please himself, the contention arises. Pride in both parties makes both stiff and inflexible to peace and equity; and in this there is a great deal of folly; for by this means, both procure more real displeasure and dissatisfaction to their own spirits.

But ‘with the well-advised is wisdom.’ They who have discretion and judgment will not be so wedded to their own conceits but that in humility they can forbear and forgive for the sake of peace. And though this may seem harsh and bitter at first, to a passionate and distempered mind, yet, oh how sweet it is after! There is a greater sweetness and refreshment in the peaceable condescension of a man’s spirit and the quiet passing by of an injury than the highest satisfaction that ever revenge or contention gave to any man. ‘When pride cometh, the cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom.’ (Prov. 11:2).”

Hugh Binning, Christian Love.