I’ve often wondered how I missed out on C.J. Mahaney’s books for so long. While I’ve now read several of them, I did not read the first until earlier this year. And now I’m hooked. I love Mahaney’s style of writing in which he blends sound, biblical teaching with humility and just the right amount of humor. I’ve found his books to be practical, yet not legislative, as if we needed him to dictate every aspect of the reader’s life. I was excited, then, to be given a sneak-peek at his upcoming title, Humility: True Greatness. What follows is a short preview of this book, due for release next month.
Preview
There is a certain irony in the pursuit of humility. We see a glimpse of that in the title of this book, Humility: True Greatness. Humility is true greatness. The pursuit of humility and the pursuit of greatness are one and the same, provided that we seek greatness as defined by the Creator. I have never met C.J. Mahaney (though hope to some day), but from all accounts he is well-qualified to write a book on such a difficult subject. And this is a difficult topic. After all, how can a person write a book on humility without sounding like he feels he is most qualified? The truth is he can, provided he uses the Scripture as the foundation for his teaching. And that is exactly what Mahaney does.
The book is divided into three sections. Part one deals with the battle of humility versus pride, part two with our Savior and the secret of true greatness and part three with the practice of true humility.
In the first part, Mahaney defines humility and shows how true humility is nothing less than a battle against the pride that lives deep within every heart. “Humility is honestly assessing ourselves in the light of God’s holiness and our sinfulness.” These two realities must be the foundation of any definition of humility: our sinfulness and God’s holiness. This is precisely why true greatness can only be achieved by followers of Jesus Christ, for only they have had their eyes opened by the Holy Spirit to see the depth of their own depravity and the overwhelming holiness of God.
Mahaney teaches, rightly I believe, that God hates the sin of pride above all other sin. This is a sin that plagues all humans, though it manifests itself in different ways. So the issue facing the believer is he examines his life is not if pride is present, but where it is present. For most of us it is deeply ingrained in our lives and only a great amount of Spirit-guided self-examination can draw it to the surface.
In the second part, Mahaney defines greatness as Jesus did, showing that being great means being a servant to everyone. Just as Jesus came to serve, so must we serve with our lives. Christ lived as the perfect example of humble service. As in all his books, Mahaney leads the reader to the cross, stating that apart from Christ’s sacrifice, there is no serving. We can only attain true greatness by emulating Christ’s example – the example that led him to the cross where He made the greatest sacrifice.
In the third and final part of the book Mahaney builds on the foundation he has built through Scripture to provide advice on the practice of humility. This is far more than a bullet list of do’s and don’ts. It is far more than a false, monastic humility that is really no humility at all. Instead, he examines several different areas of life and shows how humility can be applied to all of them. From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep (and even while we are asleep) we can practice humility. Whether we experience joy or pain, whether we are correcting or being corrected, we all have opportunities to practice humility every day.
Humility: True Greatness is a truly great book. I do not know of a person who shows no pride in his life, and thus I do not know of a person who would not benefit from reading it. I highly and unreservedly recommend this book. I pray that it will be widely-read, that humility may be widely-practiced.
What Others Are Saying
Here are some endorsements written by men who are far more discerning (and, in all likelihood, far more humble) than I am.
“This is the right book from the right man at the right time. More than any other man I have known, C. J. Mahaney has taught me what humility really is. This is a man whose humility is a gift to the entire church. He knows that humility is strength, and that God uses the humble in a powerful way. He understands the danger of pride, and calls us all to aspire to a legacy of greatness-a greatness that shows the entire world the glory of God. He points us to a cross-centered worldview that will transform every dimension of life.”
-R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
“God hates it. The Bible is pretty clear on that fact. Yet, our culture exalts it. For many people, if not most, pride is seen as a virtue. We are expected to be proud of ourselves, our accomplishments, our looks, our possessions, our family, our friends. We are to call attention to whom we know, what we’ve done, where we’ve been. We are to promote ourselves and anything associated with us. We’re even encouraged to apply bumper stickers that proclaim the superiority of our child over the less gifted children at school.
Perhaps the most prideful are those who express a supposed humility, and yet take pride in their excellent character. An even more subtle example is the individual who is devastated by the reality of personal failure (this is actually self-love—he is simply shocked at seeing himself as he really is).
It’s all pride. And God’s hatred of it, whether subtle or overt, will never change.
We need to be reminded daily that God is opposed to the proud. We need to be told once again what greatness is in the eyes of God. This is important for God’s leaders in the church, for His leaders in families, and for anyone who desires to live a life of excellence that is pleasing to Him.
I am grateful for C.J. Mahaney’s honest and accurate treatment of this ‘accepted’ sin. Let the truth that is explained in this book break you of pride and reap within you the pleasing aroma of humility. God not only is opposed to the proud, but He exalts the humble.”
-John MacArthur
“My friend C.J. Mahaney tackles a subject of immense importance. Since God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, what could be more important than understanding and developing true humility, as a lightning rod for grace? C. J.’s book is biblical, honest and full of helpful insights. We need less egomania and more humility and servanthood in our churches today. May God use this book to remind us that ‘only the humble are sane.’”
-Randy Alcorn
“This is a wonderful, sobering, humbling, God-centered, Bible-based book on humility by an author who truly exemplifies it in his own life. I especially appreciated Mahaney’s suggestions for practical disciplines to help us cultivate humility before God. This book’s message will tend to keep us and our churches from self-destruction due to pride, will make us thankful for little blessings in everyday life, and will bring us closer to God.”
-Wayne Grudem
“Humility is seldom thought about in our Christian community. In his masterful way, C.J. Mahaney gives us a much-needed wake-up call on this important subject. I highly recommend this book.”
-Jerry Bridges
Content
Foreword by Joshua Harris
Introduction
PART I
OUR GREATEST FRIEND, OUR GREATEST ENEMY
The Battle of Humility Versus Pride
CHAPTER 1
The Promise of Humility
CHAPTER 2
The Perils of Pride
PART II
THE GREAT REVERSAL
Our Savior and the Secret of True Greatness
CHAPTER 3
Greatness Redefined
CHAPTER 4
Greatness Demonstrated
PART III
OUR GREAT PURSUIT
The Practice of True Humility
CHAPTER 5
As Each Day Begins
CHAPTER 6
As Each Day Ends
CHAPTER 7
For Special Focus
CHAPTER 8
Identifying Evidences of Grace
CHAPTER 9
Encouraging Others
CHAPTER 10
Inviting and Pursuing Correction
CHAPTER 11
Responding Humbly to Trials
CHAPTER 12
A Legacy of Greatness
A Final Word
How to Weaken Pride and Cultivate Humility:
A List of Suggestions
Conclusion
Humility: True Greatness is a wonderful book and one I highly recommend. In fact, it is one of the best, most practical books I have read all year long and my favorite of Mahaney’s books. I cannot think of a person who would not benefit from it.
Availability
The book is being published by Multnomah Publishers and is set to be released on October 23. It is currently available for pre-order from Amazon (and it’s only $10, too!).
