It is said of king Saul that when he was little in his own sight the Lord made him the head of the tribes of Israel and anointed him king (I Sam. 15:17). But Saul did not remain little in his own sight. He got too big for his britches, so to speak, and the result was that he rebelled against God. He rejected the word of the Lord, and consequently the Lord rejected him from being king (verse. 23). It is a very dangerous thing for God's people, or anyone else, to become exalted in the flesh and to begin to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think (Rom. 12:3). All those who exalt themselves shall be abased or brought down and humiliated; but on the other hand, all those who humble themselves shall be exalted; that is, the Lord will raise them to a higher state of dignity and usefulness among their brethren (See Matt. 13:12).

On this text I once heard an old preacher say, "In the Lord's kingdom the way down is up, and the way up is down." The Lord's disciples had not yet learned this lesson when they asked Him which of them would be the greatest in His kingdom (Matt. 18:1). When they asked Him that selfish, and spiritually juvenile, question Christ called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, and said, "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." What a wonderful answer the Lord gave them here, and oh, how instructive!

There are many instances in the Scriptures of men who exalted themselves and who were consequently brought down—men such as Haman and Nebuchadnezzar. Vain pride, haughtiness, and feelings of self-importance are abominations in the sight of the Lord. Such things are sure to bring down His wrath upon the heads of the guilty.

There is another way taught in the Bible that represents the key to being a true servant of the Lord and to enjoying a special relationship with Him. It is a very vital lesson, and happy is the man or woman who learns it and applies it to their everyday life. The reader may find this valuable key in the following verses: Psalm 34:18, Psalm 51:17, Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 66:2 and others. May the Lord help us to ever keep it in mind, and may He help us to always be humble. Oh! What meaningful words are those in Matthew 5:5—"Blessed are the meek." Moses was one of the greatest men we read of in the Bible, and it is said of him that he was "very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth (Num. 12:3), and in Matt. 11:29 Jesus said of Himself, "I am meek and lowly in heart." This shows us very plainly one of the main traits we must possess if we would be like our blessed Lord.    —Elder Ralph Harris