Humility


One of my favourite church memories from my youth is seeing Brother Victory, a tall deacon from our church, stooping to tie the shoelaces of one of the naughtiest little boys in our Sunday School.  The image was so heart-warming and it has stuck with me as a metaphor, for the humility with which I want to live my life. 

There are four main times when we most need to adopt humility as a mindset.  The first is when we are wrong about someone or something. Self-preservation can cause pride if it goes too far but holding one's hands up when wrong, can build relationships as well as our own character. Secondly, and probably more difficult than the former point, is when we are right about something or someone.  The temptation here is to gloat inwardly and position oneself as the fount of all wisdom, but not only is that not very endearing, it is good to remember that being right doesn't mean that we are all the way right.  The passage of time can uncover new information, new perspectives and sometimes people change, which means that 'I told you so' is hardly ever appropriate.  Thirdly, when people need to experience the consequences of their wrong actions, our stance should be, 'I've done wrong too.' Nine times out of ten, when my children have done wrong, I am able to tell them off, alongside telling them about when I did a similar thing.  It helps to maintain their dignity and I am able to present myself as an object lesson of God's Grace.  Lastly, when I succeed, I celebrate quickly and move on.  This helps me to remain humble and also to keep a clear mind so that I can continue to succeed.

Humility is an adornment.  Humble people are a pleasure to be around.  They are comfortable in their own skin and make you feel at ease in their company.  If you are blessed enough to have a few humble people in your inner circle.  Cherish them.  They are rare finds, and worth more than their weight in gold.

Dr. Monica

💜

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