Every Christian man has a choice between being humble and being humbled.
Interpretation
This quote emphasizes the importance of humility and suggests that individuals can choose to be humble or face the consequences of being humbled by life.
Charles Spurgeon highlights a fundamental choice that Christian men face regarding humility. The quote suggests that embracing humility leads to personal growth and integrity, whereas failing to be humble may result in challenging situations that force one to confront their pride and shortcomings. It serves as a reminder of the virtue of humility and the potential consequences of arrogance.
In practice
In a speech on personal character, one might use this quote to illustrate the importance of humility in leadership.
Amusement should be used to do us good “like a medicine”: it must never be used as the food of the man...Many have had all holy thoughts and gracious resolutions stamped out by perpetual trifling. Pleasure so called is the murderer of thought. This is the age of excessive amusement: everybody craves for it, like a babe for its rattle.
When you see no present advantage, walk by faith and not by sight. Do God the honor to trust Him when it comes to matters of loss for the sake of principle.
It is far easier to fight with sin in public than to pray against it in private.
You will never glory in God till first of all God has killed your glorying in yourself.
After faith comes repentance, or, rather, repentance is faith's twin brother and is born at the same time.
["All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant."] The original Hebrew word that has been translated "paths" means "well-worn roads' or "wheel tracks," such ruts as wagons make when they go down our green roads in wet weather and sink in up to the axles. God's ways are at times like heavy wagon tracks that cut deep into our souls, yet all of them are merciful.
If what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell it to me at all
Every difficulty slurred over will be a ghost to disturb your repose later on.
Christ willed to suffer and be despised and do you dare complain of the same? Christ had adversaries and backbiters; and do you wish to have all men your friends and benefactors? When shall your patience attain her crown if no adversity befalls you? If you are willing to suffer naught that is against you, how will you be the friend of Christ?
The point we emphasize is strong confidence in our original nature.
That is where my dearest and brightest dreams have ranged — to hear for the duration of a heartbeat the universe and the totality of life in its mysterious, innate harmony.
There is some pleasure even in words, when they bring forgetfulness of present miseries.
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