Humility

One desperately needed characteristic today is humility. The age of superstars, celebrity brands, selfies, and social media feeds pride, the opposite of humility.

While writing about humility and pride C. S. Lewis wrote, “A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

Long ago, Friedrich Nietzsche observed that the “will to power” is the basic drive in human nature. There is no need to teach a child to exert their will in a power play. Grasping for power runs through people of every age and every level of social strata. Pride is both the fertile soil where the “will to power” grows and the fertilizer that boosts its growth.

Three thousand years ago Solomon included these words in his collection of Proverbs. “Pride comes before destruction” and, “humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 16:18, Proverbs 15:33) The Apostle Peter commented on the juxtaposition of pride and humility when he wrote, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5 ESV.

Rick Warren shortened a definition that C. S. Lewis wrote of humility by saying; “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Humility is thinking more of others.”

Jesus, work humility into my life and into the lives of those that I influence. Amen.