A Humble Heart

Now and then I see several things in my life that are opposites. Sometimes I do something embarrassing that is humiliating. I will introduce myself to someone. They informed me that we had already met. The assumption is that I should have remembered their name. Then there are the times I trip going up stairs. Those things can be humiliating. Thankfully there are better moments. At times I do something that leads people to kindly compliment me. I am put on a pedestal, whether deserving or not. In those moments I must decide how to receive the adulation both verbally and in my spirit.

When I studied the book of Proverbs, I was impressed with how often the topic of humility comes up. Of course, other places in the Bible also address the importance of humbling ourselves. It is not easy to do because it reflects a heart issue. Humility is an attitude. As 1 Peter 5.6 states “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time”. A humble attitude is a choice we make.

Augustine wrote, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels”. Pride is a real problem and has been from the start. It is why Satan fell. But when we humble ourselves in repentance, our lives are changed, and we receive the righteousness of Christ. Harold Warner wrote that “humility is the gateway into the grace and the favor of God”. Augustine added, “Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility.”

“Humility, that low, sweet root, from which all heavenly virtues shoot”. Thomas Moore was right. Humility involves being low and it is a sweet thing. It is the starting point of being able to have other virtues in our lives that are pleasing to God and helpful to others. Gordon B. Hinckley wrote, “Being humble means recognizing that we are not on earth to see how important we can become, but to see how much difference we can make in the lives of others.”

When we recognize that all we have and all we can do comes from God, we are in a better position to be humble and practice a life of humility. Wayne Dyer put it this way. “Practice radical humility. Take no credit for your talents, intellectual abilities, aptitudes, or proficiencies. Be in a state of awe and bewilderment”. It is so easy to look inward and to forget that all that we have comes from God. When we are radically humble, we deny ourselves in a proper way. We do not want to go to the extreme that pretends we are worthless because that is certainly not true. Rick Warren said, “humility is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less”. It takes balance. We want to give the glory to God for our gifts and abilities. Warren added, “Humility isn’t denying your strengths; it’s being honest about your weaknesses.”

Humility puts us in position to learn a lot and live in an impactful way. John Maxwell was to the point. “Have the humility to learn from those around you”. As I work with the elderly population with my job, I am blessed to see the humility of many of them. They recognize they remain on a journey and can still learn. And although I have a master’s degree in theology, every time I open the Bible, I feel like I have something to learn. I can also learn as I interact from people of all ages. Rolsey observed, “Ego kills knowledge, as knowledge requires learning, and learning requires humility”. Keeping humble keeps us wise.

Ezra Taft Benson noted something that is clear in scripture. “With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings”. Pride leads to falls and failures. We could say that pride is the essence of sin. That is why humility is so important. The Lord blesses us when we are humble. When that happens, we can be a blessing to others.

Humility is one of the things that Christians are to clothe ourselves with (Colossians 3:12). It should characterize us. Ephesians 4:2 tells us we are to be “completely humble”. If you are like me, humility does not come naturally or easily. We must ask God to make us humble. Jesus did so when he left heaven to be born to die.

Sometimes the Bible needs to be blunt, as in James 4:6. But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.” No one wants God to be opposed to them. Instead, we should want to be blessed with his grace and favor. That should be good motivation to be a humble person. Remember the words of Jesus in Luke 14:11. “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” As we seek to have a humble heart, God will do his work in our lives. Until we get to heaven, it is a process. As John M. Barrie stated, “Life is a long lesson in humility”.