We have been called and chosen, before the world was made, to become “like his Son”. Romans 8:29 (NLT). This can only happen if we are absolutely humble.
In several places in the Bible we are compared to clay in the potter’s hand. If the clay is soft, it is easy for the potter to make a beautiful bowl from the clay; but if it is hard, it easily breaks and the potter cannot make the bowl he wanted to make. Then he has to start again and make a bowl that is not so beautiful.
It is the same with us. The more humble we are, the more easily God can work with us and form us to be like Him—from glory to glory. He will then be able to make us into instruments for His honour in a relatively short time, holy and useful for the Master, to be used for every good work. (2 Timothy 2:21.)
The only way to become like His Son!
But if we are not humble, it is difficult for Him to work with us, and we become like hard clay that keeps breaking in His hands. Then it will take a long time before He can make anything useful out of us. If we keep resisting Him, He will have to make us into instruments for dishonourable use instead of instruments for honourable use. To be humble is therefore the easiest, quickest, in fact the only way to all future growth and becoming like Jesus.
Jesus Christ is a perfect example to us in everything, also in being humble. He always listened to the Father and did the Father’s will in all things. We can learn to be truly humble by following His example. Like Jesus, we must always do God’s will in all things and humble ourselves under His mighty hand, so that He can lift us up in His good time. (1 Peter 5:6.) Everything He sends our way is meant to help us to become like His Son.
But He can only do this if we are humble in all situations, because God gives grace to the humble, but He resists the proud. (James 4:6.) It is not good when He, the living God, resists us. We do not get anywhere without being humble. The life of the humble man is filled with blessings. He can look into the future and say with David, “Truly, blessing and mercy will be with me all the days of my life; and I will have a place in the house of the Lord all my days.” Psalm 23:6 (BBE).