Be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. 1 Peter 5: 5.
The confiding love and unselfish devotion manifested in the life and character of John present lessons of untold value to the Christian church. John did not naturally possess the loveliness of character that his later experience revealed. By nature he had serious defects. He was not only proud, self- assertive, and ambitious for honor, but impetuous, and resentful under injury. . . . But beneath all this the divine Teacher discerned the ardent, sincere, loving heart. Jesus rebuked his self- seeking, disappointed his ambitions, tested his faith. But He revealed to him that for which his soul longed– the beauty of holiness, the transforming power of love.
The lessons of Christ, setting forth meekness and humility and love as essential to growth in grace and a fitness for His work, were of the highest value to John. He treasured every lesson, and constantly sought to bring his life into harmony with the divine pattern. John had begun to discern the glory of Christ– not the worldly pomp and power for which he had been taught to hope, but “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth” (John 1: 14). . . . John desired to become like Jesus, and under the transforming influence of the love of Christ he did become meek and lowly. Self was hid in Jesus.
The Lord Jesus seeks the co- operation of those who will become unobstructed channels for the communication of His grace. The first thing to be learned . . . is the lesson of self- distrust; then they are prepared to have imparted to them the character of Christ. This is not to be gained through education in the most scientific schools. It is the fruit of wisdom that is obtained from the divine Teacher alone. . . .
Men of the highest education in the arts and sciences have learned precious lessons from Christians in humble life who were designated by the world as unlearned. But these obscure disciples had obtained an education in the highest of all schools. They had sat at the feet of Him who spoke as “never man spake” (John 7: 46).
From God’s Amazing Grace – Page 297