Humility

Warm-up: Luke 14:8–11

You know how I lived the whole time I was with you. . . .
I served the Lord with great humility . . .
Acts 20:18–19

Pride inhibits friend-making. As the wise man said, “Pride only breeds quarrels” (Prov. 13:10). It separates us from God and from one another.

Pride is a terrible trait, manifesting itself in our passion for the “best seats”—insisting on recognition, wanting to be noticed, longing for prominence, smarting when we’re not consulted or advised, dominating social situations. It displays itself when we resist authority or become angry and defensive when crossed or challenged; when we harbor grudges, nurse grievances, or wallow in self-pity. It’s the drive behind our penchant for associating with the rich and famous rather than the little people who make up most of our world.

Humility means being led downward. It means being content when others are elevated above us and letting others advance even at our own expense. It means being glad when someone else is preferred. It means accepting every humiliation and looking upon every person who demeans us as a means of grace to humble us. God accepts such humbling as the proof that our whole heart desires it.

Charles de Foucauld’s words from long ago seem singularly appropriate:

Never think that in lowering yourself you have less power for good. On the contrary, in thus humbling yourself you are imitating and using the same means that I (Jesus) used. You are walking in my way and therefore in the truth, and you are in the right state to receive life and impart it to others. The best means for this is my way. I came down to the level of men by my Incarnation, and to that of sinners by my Circumcision and Baptism. Be lowly, lowly, lowly, humble, humble. Let those that are in high places put themselves last in a spirit of lowliness and service, love for men, humility,taking the lowest place so long as the divine will does not call you to another, for in that case you must obey. Obedience first of all—conformity to the will of God. If you are placed high, then keep yourself in humility of soul as though you were last; occupy your high position as though you were there only to serve others and to lead themto salvation. (Meditations of a Hermit)

The beginning place for all of us, then, is to learn humility from Jesus: He was “meek and humble in heart,” not the least bit concerned about protecting His dignity or position. By coming to Him and asking for His help we’ll become more like Him, and we’ll find that rest of which He speaks—rest from all the ambitious striving that makes us so weary and ill at ease (cf. Matt. 11:29).

O Jesus! Meek and humble of heart, hear me.
From the desire of being esteemed,
From the desire of being loved,
From the desire of being extolled,
From the desire of being honored,
From the desire of being praised,
From the desire of being preferred to others,
From the desire of being consulted,
From the desire of being approved,
From the fear of being humiliated,
From the fear of being despised,
From the fear of suffering rebukes,
From the fear of being falsely accused,
From the fear of being forgotten,
From the fear of being ridiculed,
From the fear of being wronged,
From the fear of being suspected,

Deliver me Jesus.

That others may be loved more than I,
That others may be esteemed more than I,
That, in the opinion of the world,
others may increase and I may decrease,
That others may be chosen and I set aside,
That others may be praised and I unnoticed,
That others may be preferred before me in everything,
That others become holier than I,
provided that I may become as holy as I should,

Jesus, grant me the grace to desire it.
(A Litany of Humility)

Taken from A Burden Shared: Encouragement for Those Who Lead, ©1991 by David Roper. Used by permission of Discovery House Publishers, Box 3566 Grand Rapids, MI 49501. All rights reserved.