Review: The Blessing of Humility by Jerry Bridges

Review: The Blessing of Humility

Jerry Bridges

Navpress

2016

Humility.  According to this book we know it when we see it, but how do we recognize it?  That’s pretty much what this book covers.  What it looks like and how does it happen?  Bridges uses the verses known as the Beatitudes from Matthew 5 as his starting point.  Well that’s not entirely accurate---his starting point is the gospel and he returns to it regularly throughout this work.  

This approach helps the reader understand his own person in relation to God.  Understanding who he is leads to humility, but not without some serious changes.  Bridges guides the reader along this path of discovery gently, but firmly.  Simple explanations and applications make this journey sound easy.  It isn’t and he admits that.  

Here's a sample of his simple yet insightful work.  “I still vividly remember a statement I heard at a Bible study in 1952.  It literally changed my life… ‘the Bible is meant to be applied in your everyday life.’ … as far as I can remember, the application of Scripture to one’s daily life had never been taught in our church.” (1)   Quite a while ago, but still valid today perhaps.

Yes, I read beyond that page, but that epiphany stuck in my mind, like one of those little tunes you can’t lose.  What follows his opening page looks to application and knowledge as he looks at some of the Beatitudes.  His reminder might help many of us look at our life application of Scripture, as well.  And application produces the blessing of humility in the final analysis.  

I do recommend this book.  It is short and won’t take much time to read, but the application part may take a bit longer.  His teachings and dedication to the Gospel will be missed at The Navigators and far beyond.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for a review.