show the same humility to others that he had shown to them, by being
willing to do anything, however humble it might be, in order to
promote their comfort and happiness. It is not the act itself, here
spoken of, that Jesus teaches us to do; but the spirit of humility in
which the act was performed that he teaches us to cultivate. We might
go through the form of washing the feet of other persons, and yet
feel proud and haughty all the time we were doing it. Then we should
not be following the example of Jesus at all. When Jesus washed his
disciples' feet, what he wished to teach them, and us, and all his
people, is how earnestly he desires us to learn this lesson of
humility. And when we think of the wondrous scene which took place on
that occasion, the one thought it should impress on our minds, above
all others is--_the importance of humility_.

And if any one asks what is meant by humility? No better answer can
be given to this question than we find in Romans xii: 3, where St.
Paul tells us "not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to
think, but to think soberly." Pride is "thinking of ourselves more
highly than we ought to think." Humility is--_not_ "thinking of
ourselves more highly than we ought to think." And humility is the
lesson we are now to study. This is the lesson that Jesus wishes all
who love him to learn. It is easy to speak of _five_ reasons why we
should learn this lesson.

_And the first reason for learning it is--the_ COMMAND--_of Jesus_.

When he had finished washing his disciples' feet, he told them that
"they should do as he had done to them." This was his command to his
disciples, and to us, to learn the lesson of humility. And this is
not the only place in which Jesus taught this lesson. He gave some of
his beautiful parables to teach humility. We find one of these in St.
Luke xiv: 7-12.

On one occasion when he saw the people all pressing forward to get
the best seats for themselves at a feast, he took the opportunity of
giving his disciples a lesson about humility. He told them, when they
were bidden to a wedding feast, not to take the highest seats;
because some more honorable person might be bidden, and when the
master of the feast came in he might say to them 'let this man have
that seat, and you go and take a lower seat'; then they would feel
mortified, and ashamed. And then he gave his disciples this command:
"When thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room," or s