The least

Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; - Ephesians 3.8

Someone has said that humility is that trait, that just when you think you have it,  you have lost it. Humility is the mark of the true believer.  Andrew Murray put it this way 'Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of the creature, and the root of every virtue. And so pride, or the loss of this humility, is the root of every sin and evil.'

Paul sets the human standard pretty high. Most of us, who if asked who the greatest Christian ever was, would have Paul high on our list. After all he was an apostle. He was a missionary who risked life and limb to preach the gospel and plant churches. He was imprisoned for his faith. He was beaten. He was shipwrecked. And on and on and on. 

But what did he say about himself? 'I am the least of all saints.' 

But wait a minute. Paul can't be the least of all saints, that has to be me! After all I know me from the inside out. I know things about me that nobody else knows. I know I am not worthy, but somehow I can still think sometimes that I am a pretty important fella. How does that kind of pride creep in where it obviously has no cause? 

Paul was in the place where he could say the rest of his statement. Only when we realise that we are nothing can God give the grace that we need to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. When we preach in our own wisdom and power and knowledge and ability we are limited to that only. 

But when I realise how unworthy I truly am then and only then can I preach the unsearchable riches of Christ.