How is the spirit of opposition and self-exaltation to be overcome? "In lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." What a blessed thought! How evidently divine! How could strife or vainglory exist along with it?
When one thinks of self, God would have one to feel our own amazing shortcomings. To have such sweet and heavenly privileges in Christ, to be loved by Him, and yet to make such paltry returns as even our hearts know to be altogether unworthy of Him is our bitter experience as to ourselves.
When we look at another, we can readily feel not only how blessedly Christ is for him and how faithful is His goodness, but love leads us to cover failings, to see and keep before us that which is lovely and of good report in the saints-if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, to think on these things. [13]