The Weight of Glory

Reading: The Weight of Glory, C. S. Lewis

It is incredibly difficult to limit oneself to a mere 300 words when discussing something as deep and compelling as Lewis' "The Weight of Glory." It's like being asked to narrow the application of it to college life: there are simply too many life lessons to be learned.

One of the most important themes, though, is humility. Perhaps I am not alone in my struggle wit this concept, but I have found myself challenged again and again with being humble. I am, as most humans are by nature, a very prideful being, always wanting to be acknowledged for my work and my struggle. As Lewis pointed out, however, my desire to be acknowledged is distorted--my true longing is to be acknowledged by God; in essence, I want God to know me, to acknowledge me, to call me His good and faithful servant. I want to know that this struggle is not in vain.

I must be careful, though, of my pride, not because I oughtn't have it, but because it absolutely must not be directed at myself. I may be proud in my work and my talents, but not because the are mine; rather, because they are God's, supported by Him, given by Him. It lies in accordance with Lewis' quote: "Perfect humility dispenses with modesty. If God is satisfied with the work, the work may be satisfied with itself." Notice it does not say 'I may be satisfied with myself.' It is not an easy task. "To please God...to be a real ingredient in the divine happiness...to be loved by God and not merely pitied, but delighted in as an artist delights in his work, or as a father in a son--it seems impossible, a weight or burden of glory which our thoughts can hardly sustain. But so it is."

How is such a thing achieved, though? How can we strive for God's approval? The answer is simple, yet infinitely and frustratingly complex. We have to think not of ourselves at all. We must forget entirely what we think we must do. We must strive instead to be humble, to do everything without complaint, joyfully, and when it is all done, when people try to give us the acknowledgment we so long for, we instead deny ourselves entirely and point to God. "'Nobody marks us,'" and that is the point. We are not to be marked, not to be acknowledged. In all things, we are nothing. We are lower than the low, we are the scum of the earth. We are no more qualified for the Kingdom than the people on this earth we most despise. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves," Philippians says. "The load, or weight, or burden of my neighbor's glory should be laid on my back, a load so heavy that only humility can carry it, and the backs of the proud will be broken" (Lewis).

And so, with humility and love, we must do everything we can for everyone we can, and when it is all said and done, as we lie there, humbly before God, aware of the ragged, dirty, disgusting clothes that we wear that are as filthy, if not filthier than our neighbor's, God will reach out and remove those rags and clothe us in new robes, and give us the highest accolade, the most satisfying acknowledgment we can ask for, which only He can give: "Well done, my good and faithful servant."