Humility

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. She said, “Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face.”

“Yes,” the class said.

“Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn’t run into my feet?”

A little fellow said, “Cause your feet ain’t empty.”

Source: Unknown

A lion was awakened from sleep by a mouse running over his face. Rising up angrily, he caught the mouse and was about to kill him, when the mouse said, “If you spare my life, I will repay your kindness someday." The lion laughed and let him go. It happened shortly after this that the lion was caught by some hunters, who bound him with strong ropes. The mouse, recognizing the lion’s roar, came, gnawed through the rope, and set him free. The mouse then exclaimed: “You did not think that I would ever be able to help you.

Although George Whitefield disagreed with John Wesley on some matters, he was careful not to create problems in public that could be used to hinder the preaching of the Gospel. When someone asked Whitefield if he thought he would see Wesley in heaven, Whitefield replied, “I fear not, for he will be so near the eternal throne and we at such a distance, we shall hardly get sight of him.” 

Source: Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching and Preachers, Warren Wiersbe

Submitted by the homiletics class of West Coast Baptist College

Roger Staubach, who led the Dallas Cowboys to the Super Bowl victory in 1971, admitted that his position as a quarterback who didn’t call his own signals was a source of trial for him. Coach Landry sent in every play. He told Roger when to pass, when to run, and only in emergency situations could he change the play. Even though Roger considered Coach Landry to have a “genius mind” when it came to football strategy, pride said that he should be able to run his own team. Roger had a decision to make. Would he allow pride to rule his life and ignore his coach, making himself the star?

The late Dawson Trotman, founder of the Navigators, was visiting Taiwan on one of his overseas trips. During the visit he hiked with a Taiwanese pastor back into one of the mountain villages to meet with some of the national Christians. The roads and trails were wet, and their shoes became very muddy. Later, someone asked this Taiwanese pastor what he remembered most about Dawson Trotman. Without hesitation the man replied, “He cleaned my shoes.”

Source: Unknown

Winston Churchill exemplified integrity and respect in the face of opposition. During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony. Two gentlemen that were seated several rows behind him began whispering, “That's Winston Churchill. They say he is getting senile. They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.” When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf!”—Vital Speeches, Barbara Hatcher

A truly humble man is hard to find, yet God delights to honor such selfless people. Booker T. Washington, the renowned black educator, was an outstanding example of this truth.

Shortly after he took over the presidency of Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking in an exclusive section of town when he was stopped by a wealthy white woman. Not knowing the famous Mr. Washington by sight, she asked if he would like to earn a few dollars by chopping wood for her.