The Blessing of Humility: Walk within Your Calling

by Jerry Bridges

We all admire humility when we see it. But how do we practice it? How does humility?the foundational virtue of the normal Christian life?become a normal part of our everyday lives?

Jerry Bridges sees in the Beatitudes a series of blessings from Jesus, a pattern for humility in action. Starting with poverty in spirit?an acknowledgment that in and of ourselves we are incapable of living holy lives pleasing to God?and proceeding through our mourning over personal sin, our hunger and thirst for righteousness, our experience of persecutions large and small, and more, we discover that humility is itself a blessing: At every turn, God is present to us, giving grace to the humble and lifting us up to blessing.

Genres: Christian, Christian Living, Nonfiction, Theology, Faith, Audiobook, Christianity

Audio CD

First published June 1, 2016

About the author

JERRY BRIDGES was an author and conference speaker. His most popular book, The Pursuit of Holiness, has sold over one million copies. Jerry was on the staff of The Navigators for over fifty years, and currently served in the Collegiate Mission where he was involved primarily in staff development, but also served as a speaker resource to the campus ministries.

Reviews

[Haley Annabelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent little exposition of the Beatitudes. I never really thought of them as the prime passage on humility but Bridges does a wonderful job of proving his case. While this isn't my favorite Jerry Bridges, I will still be returning to this book again!

[Shannon Evanko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Jerry Bridges. He had such a way with words! This brief book walks through the beatitudes and what they mean for us in pursuit of holiness. He brings us back to the gospel throughout, reminding us of what Christ won for us on the cross. Beautiful admonishment and encouragement.

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say that it is impossible to truly walk in humility without to some degree appropriating the truth of the gospel every day.

Jerry Bridges leaves a legacy of good solid bible teaching. I have been blessed with his teaching and I would strongly recommend all of his books for those that desire to study the word of God. With his recent passing, I was excited to see this book offered on Netgalley and I hope many will desire the blessing of humility that is found in the beatitudes. This is a teaching of the beatitudes and how the beatitudes reflect the humility of the gospel. The beatitudes is how we respond to who God is and how each of the beatitudes build on the other. It is not only how we respond to God and his work, but also to each other. You cannot mourn unless you are poor in spirit and you cannot be meek without morning and so on. Each of the beatitudes are beautifully exalted in this study.

A balanced study of the gospel that shows the good news of the Gospel.

A Special Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Angela Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW! Reading this book, even the way Jerry Bridges writes this book is with an attitude of humility. I would have never known he was an 80 year old man when he wrote the book- he’s so honest about his own pride and never writes it as if he is a “better” or “most humble” Christian; but he writes it as a fellow believer who struggles and is also striving (by the Spirit enabling him) for the perfect humility that Christ has. He explains the beatitudes so well in ways I’ve never seen them and how they relate to us in terms of humility and of course, brings it back to the gospel. Overall, he is very clear and the chapters are very doable in portions so can be a good quick read, but it does one well to reflect on each chapter too as you go along. He explains the beatitudes well but also gives you things to think about and apply practically in both thought and deed. Definitely worth a read and a reread even, will probably do so myself!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A challenging call to humility as expressed through the Beatitudes. Love Jerry Bridges humble tone that is expressed through every page, seasoned richly with gospel hope and encouragement.

[Sarah Axen]

Thank you, Lord, for how you used Jerry to write this book. I didn’t know that humility was the second most talked about character trait in the Bible, next to love. I have been convicted, challenged and encouraged by it and will be adding it to my yearly reading. Humble me, Lord.

[Marina · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, so, so very good! Crucial truths to understand and remember in my relationship toward my husband, toward my son, toward every friend and stranger, but most importantly - toward God. A must read.

[David King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry Bridges does an exceptional job of exploring how humility applies to our daily lives, using examples from Scripture and everyday situations. He emphasizes the importance of not only having a humble attitude but also demonstrating humility and mercy through our actions towards others. While it is common for Christians to try to appear humble by being quiet or respectful, Bridges stresses that genuine acts of mercy that come from a heart transformed by Christ are what truly matter. By treating others with kindness and mercy, we can expect to receive the same from God and be rewarded in heaven.

[Janet Reeves · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Blessing of Humility came to me at just the right time. I really needed the message of this book. In fact, I’ll be putting it right back onto my to-read list. This isn’t something you read once and then you’re forever done. It’s something to practice daily.

In this book, his last, I believe, Jerry Bridges teaches humility through Jesus’ words in the Beatitudes. He begins by stressing the importance of humility in the Christian life. Then he teaches us how to practice it step-by-step, one powerful verse at a time.

I appreciated seeing the Beatitudes in this way. I also appreciated the comfort and encouragement Bridges provides. Humility is not an easy trait to integrate. In fact, without God’s Spirit’s help and the work and example of Jesus Christ, it’s impossible. It may be impossible to achieve perfectly in this life anyway, but Bridges encourages us to strive for excellence, to confess our failings as we become aware of them, and to keep on trusting in our Lord’s perfect faithfulness. The book is easy to understand and full of practical truth to apply.

[David Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good pre or post read to DML Jones’ Sermon on the Mount. Like all of Bridges’ works, this is both accessible and applicable. In a unique way, Bridges bridges the gap between the seemingly impossibly unattainable marks of a Christian (as taught by Christ in the Beatitudes”) and the reality of human life. Humility marked Jesus’ life and death. In him we really do have the ability to pursue holiness and attain to some degree the marks of a Christian. We will fail and fall short. But Bridges points us again and again and again back to the Gospel - our only hope.

[Mayson Foreman · Rating 5 out of 5]

100/10!!! This book convicted and encouraged me like CRAZY as I went through it with my discipler so much so that I went through it with the young girl I was discipling. Humility is so valuable and I loved how much I learned about Biblical humility through this book. Only as I understand who my God is will I truly understand my proper place before Him. Wow.

[Laurie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this study of each of the Beatitudes and how Jesus' words can teach us true humility. I've now read it twice -- I'm a slow-learner so I'm sure I'll read it again in the future.

[NinaB · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t think I’ve ever read any book by Jerry Bridges that I didn’t love. His works speak to all of us with his Scripture-saturated exhortations and Christ-centered solutions to our sin problems. This book on humility is another one of those books. I think I read somewhere this was the last book he penned before the Lord called him home. What a great legacy to end a worthwhile ministry!

It’s very short, but it is full of words of wisdom that addresses a virtue that our social media-frenzied society has forgotten. Our self-obsessed culture, including so-called Christians, derides humility as a weakness, when the Bible clearly commands us to pursue it.

Fully understanding total depravity, more specifically our very own, is a good start to remind us of our place in the big picture of God’s plan. We are nothing, sinners deserving of hell, but God loved us even when we were His enemies. The book is a study of the Beatitudes with the different descriptions of a humility: poor in spirit, mourn, meek, etc. Each trait has its own chapter and a set of questions for a deeper understanding of the Bible reference.

Some favorite quotes:
The precept is “clothe yourselves . . . with humility.” That is, humility should be as much a part of us as the clothes we wear. We wouldn’t think of appearing before other people without our clothes. And we shouldn’t think of appearing before other people without deliberately clothing ourselves with an attitude of humility.

Walking in humility will sometimes involve a sense of shame or even humiliation. As we humbly accept those situations, God promises to dwell with us and encourage us.

Believers who are growing continue to see more sin in their lives. It is not that they are sinning more; rather they are becoming more aware of and more sensitive to the sin that has been there all along.

And it is the realization that even these sins, which seem so minor in our eyes, would bring us under the wrath of God, were it not for the atoning blood of Christ shed for us on the cross, that should cause us to be poor in spirit.

Hebrews 13: 5, where God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In the Greek this is an emphatic statement. It is as if God is saying, “No! I will never leave you. No! I will never forsake you.”

The more we grow and mature in the Christian life, the more sensitive we become to the sin and failure we see in our lives. It is not that we necessarily sin more but rather that we become more aware of and mourn over the sin that is already there. As that happens, we hunger more and more after the righteousness we have only in Christ.

[Colin · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a gifted bible teacher is old Jerry Bridges. This is a straightforward and honest explanation of The Beatitudes, that section of the Sermon On The Mount where Jesus riffs, “Blessed are....blessed are...blessed are...”

Bridges is so succinct, steady-headed and handed, choosing his words wisely, substantiating what he has to say from scripture. His anecdotes and reflections refreshingly display a heart of vulnerability and authenticity.

“The Pursuit Of Holiness” would have to be one of the first Christian books I ever read. “The Discipline Of Grace” one of the most formative in my understanding of a practical gospel life.

84 years old at the time of writing this masterfully concise book, Bridges clearly retained his winsome, personal, biblical vitality into old age. He writes as one who has spent a lot of day-by-day confession, reflection, repentance and prayer, a reassuring and godly voice, exhorting the reader to look again and again to the cross as the means of a relationship with God and the model of true humility.

It’s a book you could read over and over and find fresh words, new encouragement for the times you find yourself in. The power is in the words of Jesus in the beatitudes, but Bridges does what all the best bible teachers do, simply seeking to serve us God’s timeless words in a voice resonant with trust, truth and the clear call to see, trust and imitate Christ.

Jerry Bridges died a couple of years back. This book is another part of the golden legacy he left God’s people.

[Cait Hutchison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel convicted to mourn my sin! (Psalm 51) not just be sad or regretful, but actually mourn my fallen state and turn my eyes to Christ. We often feel guilty for our sin because of its affect on us instead of its affect on God. “we fail to see that our sin is primarily against God, it is His law we have broken, it is His holiness that we have defiled. Because of this God hates our sin. He cannot look upon it with indifference.”
It was very interesting to learn about being ‘poor in spirit’ as Jesus teaches in Matthew 5:3 - I never thought about it this way before and how it actually means believing and living by the fact that we can do nothing, all is from God and by His grace.

“Which would you rather I do, remove this difficult circumstance or conform you more into the image of my son?”

[Tami Hungerford · Rating 4 out of 5]

I desire to be meek and humble. Dang that pride.
Loved this quote, “As I reflect on our evangelical community to the extent I am aware of it, it seems we are more knowers of the Word than doers of the word. … Instead we too often use the Scriptures not as a means of judging ourselves but as a means of judging others, especially those whose sins are more flagrant than ours. The meek person, in contrast, searches the Scriptures (or listens to it taught) not to judge others but to allow the Holy Spirit to judge him or her. In fact, the meek person earnestly desires the Spirit to use His Word to effect a deep change in his or her inner being.”

[Bailey Osweiler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very short and convicting book about how the beatitudes call us to humility. Only about 3 hours on audiobook.

"Believers who are growing [in their faith] continue to see more sin in their lives. It is not that they sin more, but they are becoming more sensitive to the sin than has been there all along"

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite good — uses the beatitudes as the foundation for what humility looks like. First few chapters are very convicting, overall a great read. I mean….it is Jerry Bridges, what do you expect? Solid, biblical, dripping with grace and insight into his own application of the gospel.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good. Bridges at his best. Written when he was 86.

[Emma Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second time reading this book and I still take something new away. A quick and profound read, will definitely revisit in the future!

[Molly French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Initially expected a more topical approach on humility but was pleasantly surprised by a weaving of “humility” through out the beatitudes in Matthew 5. This book invoked sober-minded self-reflection of the sin of pride in my heart while simultaneously reminding me of the Lord’s grace and kindness towards my weakness by taking me back to the elementary truths of the gospel in each chapter. Like always, Jerry bridges (no pun intended) rich biblical exposition with practical theology into an easy but very convicting read. Definitely got more out of it than I anticipated. Glad to start the year off with this book :)

[Jerry Kinard · Rating 4 out of 5]

This concise but powerful book is about an essential Christian character: humility. As the author suggests, I took my time reading it to allow the concepts to sink in. I did a lot of self-examination as I read. I also repented and reconciled with a family member, for which I am grateful.

[Aubrey Swanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book analyzes the beatitudes. It is definitely a book that I will return to often.

[Emily Funkhouser · Rating 3 out of 5]

I believe I finished this. Accessible, but did not feel very thorough—a member of my small group said it only covered the first half of each beatitude, which struck me as true.

[Julie N · Rating 3 out of 5]

Writing
There's a reason Bridges is a bestselling Christian author. His writing is easy to understand and he presents difficult concepts clearly and concisely for a general audience. That said, there is a simplicity to his writing that can also feel a bit shallow at times. This book on the beatitudes for example, is more of a brief meditation than an in depth look. At just 106 pages, you aren't going to go too deeply into any concept and still manage to cover each of the beatitudes. That doesn't mean that there was nothing to learn, just that it was limited in scope and depth.

Entertainment Value
As I mentioned above, this is quite easy to read. Being a shorter book, it moves along quickly and makes for a great devotional book, with short chapters and discussion or meditation questions at the end of the book for further reflection on each chapter. I read a chapter each night and found that to be a good way to move through the book, although it certainly would have been fine to read in one sitting as well.

Overall
I enjoyed the read, although I did wish for more depth. I was pleased to learn new things about the beatitudes that I hadn't known before. One of my favorite new pieces of information was that "blessed are those who mourn" refers not to those who mourn in terms of sadness or grief for something sad that has happened to them but those who are grieved by their own sin. I love finding new things to consider in Scripture and was pleased to find an entire chapter devoted to this in the book.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Often we hear humility as the opposite of pride. It's not a wrong view, but it's so much more than that. I've never viewed the beatitudes through the lens of humility before, but Bridges very helpfully guides us through this passage of the bible, showing us how Jesus saw humility.

It's easy to come across as arrogant or despairing when talking about humility, as if it's something our experiences have brought us to become more humble than another, or something we could never fully become. Both are true to some extent, but I found Bridges clear in his writing - and for lack of a better word - humble in his explanations. The book is drenched with gospel-clarity and packed with scripture outside of the beatitudes. God's word guides Bridges' understanding and that comes through so clearly.

All in all, I found this book really helpful and carefully written. Bridges allows the beatitudes and scripture to guide his understanding of humility, which is clearly explained to us. Definitely a book worth recommending.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to read this again because it was so meaty and mark it up with notes this time. The discussion questions in the back were helpful for emphasizing the big points of his chapters (which weren't long). To me, it was the perfect devotional: meaningful but thrifty writing. Now to become more humble...

[Jim Savastio · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jerry Bridges is a consistently edifying and clear writer. This little book is no exception. Bridges uses the beatitudes as a platform for addressing the biblical grace of humility--showing how the essential marks of a disciple will produce and enhance this grace. Highly recommended.

[Philip Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many wonderful take aways from this book. I read it as a small group study. Each chapter was packed with great insights into the Beatitudes and how we live our daily lives.

[Aaron S · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+