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C. J. Mahaney, the author of Humility: True Greatness, pastored Covenant Life Church in  Maryland for 27 years. He now directs Sovereign Grace Ministries, a ministry that plants and supports local churches. Mahaney has also authored The Cross-Centered Life, Christ Our Mediator, and Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God: What Every Christian Husband Needs to Know.

A friend loaned me Humility: True Greatness. As I read, I will share my thoughts. Mahaney starts chapter one, “The Promise of Humility” by referring to Jim Collins’ bestseller, Good to Great. The result of Collins researching 11 corporations which had become great was that each corporation’s CEO was “quiet, humble, modest, reserved, shy, gracious, mild-mannered, self-effacing, understated, did not believe his own clippings” and thus respected by their employees.

Humility not only attracts the attention of the world but, vastly more importantly, God according to Isaiah 66:2, “This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my Word.” In addition to attracting God’s attention, humility  moves God to fulfill the promise of humility which is found in James 4:6, “God…gives grace to the humble.” As I read this chapter, I am asking myself, “Is God looking with pleasure on my life because of my humility?” “Am I experiencing His grace, His spiritual strength, in my life and ministry because of my contriteness?”

Mahaney’s definition of humility is important: Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” James 4:6 also says that “God resists the proud” or the sinful. We obviously can’t be sinful and humble at the same time and know God’s blessings. In chapter two, Mahaney will deal with The Perils of Pride.