How does grace shape our humility? There are a lot of different thoughts on what it looks like to be humble, but Gavin Ortlund shows us how the life and death of Jesus shapes this virtue. In Humility: The Joy of Self-Forgetfulness he address several misconceptions about humility and shows us what the Bible says about the topic. It isn’t hiding our abilities or pretending to be weak, it’s self-forgetfulness that leads to joy. Gavin unpacks what humility looks like on a personal level, church level, and in one of my favorite sections, a leadership level.
This is a short little book (it took me less than 2 hours to listen to) but it packs a punch. It did a good job of helping me understand how to pursue humility without being obsessed with being perceived as humble. (So much irony.) It showed me how a healthy understanding of reality is actually the pathway to freedom and joy. This book displays how humility was a hallmark in the life of Jesus and how his Spirit wants to make it a hallmark in my life as well. This book served a reminder to be on guard against the subtle pride that often creeps into my life. So much of my frustration would be eliminated by living this out. I also realized that when humility frees me from living a self-absorbed life, joy is the result.
I highly recommend reading this little book. It’s the first book from Crossway in their new Growing Gospel Integrity Series. It’s a quick, easy, and accessible read that has the potential to be incredibly helpful to all who read it.
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