Humility is a fundamental value in the Bible, emphasized and appreciated by both the Old and New Testaments. In the Scriptures, the notion of humility is associated with wisdom and generosity, and serves as a reference point for believers and their relationships with God, their fellow humans, and the rest of creation. Despite the vital role humility has to play in Christian life, many people today struggle to understand what humility is and don’t know how to embody it. This article aims to explore what the Bible says about humility, offering insights for understanding and practicing this concept.
The Bible frames humility as a virtue that comprises respect, gentleness and a lack of pride. As Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen once wrote, “Humility is not thinking too little of yourself; it is thinking of yourself too rightly.” Humility dictates that we recognize and accept our limitations, while recognizing that the gifts and virtues we possess come from God and not ourselves. By consciously leaving self-importance, arrogance and selfishness aside, we allow God to act in us and through us.
Humility is praised as a trait of true faith by Jesus. In Matthew 18:4 He admonishes, “Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” The figure of the child is particularly symbolic, as Jesus emphasizes the importance of an attitude of gratefulness and non-resistance. Jesus also teaches us that those who have achieved greatness must not take pride in their accomplishments and gifts, but humbly accept them as blessings from God. This is evident in the parable He told of the humble servant, who was commended despite being a slave, to set an example for His disciples in Luke 17:7–10.
In addition to Jesus’ lessons, we can find a great example of humility in the life of Moses – the greatest of all the prophets. Rather than putting himself forward or seeking honour, he humbly accepted his role and mission, which he perceived as having been determined by the will of God. Another is the Virgin Mary, who was praised for her humility in accepting her role as the mother of Jesus, even though the news was delivered to her in a most extraordinary way.
The Bible also conveys humility through numerous teachings: Proverbs 3:34 reminds us to be humble and revere God; James 4:6 warns of the dangers of pride and arrogance; and 1 Peter 5:5 encourages us to be humble and trust in God’s timing. These scriptures show that humility is essential in any relationship with God. Through humility, we can be filled with grace and soar in divine love and joy.
Ultimately, humility is essential to living life that is centered on serving God. As stated by the late Pope John Paul II, “Humility is the basis of Christian life and of the comfort it gives.” Recognizing our limitations and recognizing that the gifts and virtues we possess come from God opens our hearts to accept the love of God and be obedient to His will. As we grow in humility, we become less critical of ourselves, more understanding of others, and closer to God – free from the obstacles of arrogance and pride.
Walking in Humbling Ways
Jesus gave us a great template for walking in humbling ways: the example of a servant. He illustrates that real greatness arises from understanding our limited yet powerful nature and serving faithfully whatever God asks of us. As Archbishop Sheen expertly said, “No greater glory can come to our lives than to have walked humbly with God.” To do that, we must be willing to accept our strengths and weaknesses, affirm God’s greatness, accept failure, and be obedient to His will.
The example of Jesus demonstrates that humility is an action and not just an attitude. His mission was fulfilled through humble actions like washing the feet of His disciples and sacrificing Himself to show love and forgiveness. These tiny acts of humility represent an overarching principle of Christian life that we must take to heart: that life is not about us but about God and serving His message of love. Humble actions show us that greatness is not defined by power or material success, but by our love for God and for others.
It is our job to follow Jesus’ example and strive to become more selfless in our everyday lives. We should strive to be humble and not afraid to ask for help when we need it. We should listento other people, respect their ideas and gifts, and be patientwith our own flaws and mistakes. By dedicating our energies towards understanding and implementing humility, we can move closer to the type of Christ-like perfection God desires in our lives.
Walking in Humbling Ways
Although humility is often associated with minimalism, we can find beauty in the small, mundane tasks we do as part of our everyday routines. By incorporating cues of humility into our actions, like being mindful of our words, keeping our promises and giving credit where credit is due, we can make our actions meaningful and focused on bringing honor and blessings to God. We can also manage our hobbies or extracurricular activities with humility by always acknowledging the contributions and abilities of others, and by cultivating docility and self-control.
We can also find great lessons for our lives in Jesus’ parables about humility, such as the one about the humbled publican, who asked for forgiveness for his sins resisting his own pridein Luke 18:13.Another example is the Good Samaritan from the parable in Luke 10:30–35, who had mercy on the injured man despite his own discomfort and sacrifice. These stories remind us of God’s patience, love and understanding, and have a powerful message for us to learn from.
Just as Jesus told the parable of the humbled publican and the Good Samaritan, He continues to offer us lessons of humility today. Through prayer and meditation,we can strive to understand the meaning and importance of humility in our lives. We can start to see how our pride stands in the way of our connection with God. With God as our guide and our hearts open to receive His wisdom, wecan start to embody the virtue of humility on our path to perfection.
Humility and Our Community
We can also demonstrate humility in our relationships with others. By releasing the need to always be right and by appreciating others’ talents and strengths, we can learn from our interaction with other people, breaking down barriers and developing authentic relationships with one another. If we live with humility and love, proper self respect and honor for others, our relationships can be a daily reminder of Christ’s presence in our midst.
In addition to taking humility into our interpersonal relationships, we can also take steps to grow humility in our communities. We can come together as a society and recognize the blessings, limitations and responsibilities we bring with us as individuals.We can remember that every person has a purpose and plan, and that our task is to help each other put forth our respective gifts and miracles, creating a more unified andGodly world. We can also seek out opportunities to serve our community, to dispense with pride and arrogance, and focus instead on lifting one another up.
Humility is a rare and powerful virtue, and taking time to begin understanding what it means to us on a personal level can be a meaningful decision. There is no single approach to understanding and living out humility, and allowing ourselves to explore different interpretations can be eye-opening and transformative. Taking regular inventory of our attitudes and actions to ensure that our goals are focused on God and His work can help us draw closer to Him and each other, laying the foundationfor a life filled with obedience, grace, and love.
Humility and Our Children
Given the power and importance of humility, it is essential that we guide our children through understanding and embodying this trait. We can set up great examples of humility in our own lives and also show our children that it’s okay to make mistakes and accept failure when it happens. We can foster empathy, understanding, and perspective in our children by helping them develop understanding, communication and problem-solving skills. We can also encourage our children to reach out and serve their communities in humbling ways, doing what they can to make their world better. Teaching and modeling humility can be the key to helping our children become true and faithful servants of God.
By introducing practices that involve humility, such as devotional prayer and rituals, we can nurture and strengthen our children’s connection to God. When our children view God only as a higher power, instead of an active presence in creating change, it can be difficult for them to feel encouraged and humbled by His grace and mercy. By connecting these concepts and using them to illustrate the power and beauty of God, we can nourish our children’s spiritual and emotional wellness. We can also further their understanding of humility by introducing them to Bible verses and stories that emphasize this trait.
Finally, we must always remember that humility is an ongoing practice. As we learn to understand and embody humility, we must be aware of our limitations and the times when we fall short. We must resolve not to become discouraged and give up, but instead to use our failures as a powerful tool for our own spiritual growth. By embracing humility, we can teach ourselves and our children not to give in to pride or arrogance, but instead to accept God’s grace and openly work to serve Him and others.
Humility and Self-Awareness
Humility is essential to living an enlightened life, and self-awareness is an important part of deepening our understanding of the concept. Self-awareness helps us recognize our gifts and limitations and encourages us to take ownership of our actions. We can use mindful meditation or journaling to gain insight into ourselves, helping us recognize our ego, confront our pride and connect with God. Taking regular and honest inventory of our attitudes and thoughts can be a powerful tool to cultivating humility.
Stepping away from our busy lives,
