Humility: It's Not What You Thinkናሙና

“There is no respect for others without humility in one’s self.” — Henri-Frederic Amiel.

Society says my sole focus in life should be on me. My happiness. My comfort. My wants. My dreams. My desires. 

We’re told to promote ourselves, polish our reputation, and share what’s great about us with the rest of the world. 

And if we’re being honest, we’ve all followed this cultural norm in one way or another. Maybe you work on that perfect selfie, taking 347 shots before getting it right. Or maybe you’re quick to spout wisdom on any and all topics, unaware that you may have something to learn. You might even live with an unhealthy level of expectation, feeling that you deserve the best because of who you are or what you’ve done. 

The reason I can give such specific examples, by the way, is because I’ve struggled with this too. I’m right there with you. 

But the truth about a lack of humility is that it’s hard to spot it in ourselves. The inner struggle reads kind of like a joke: Me? I’m super humble. I’m, like, the most humble. I’m the best EVER at being humble. 

So, none of us are coming at humility from a place of perfect self-awareness. But yesterday we read several specific verses in God’s Word that show us the way toward a path of humility. And if my dinner with the “me me me” couple represents the opposite of humility, what does it look like for us to be truly humble? Should we put ourselves down? Practice self-deprecation? Never talk about ourselves?

Pastor and author Rick Warren doesn’t think so. He says, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

Those are powerful words. Let’s read them again. Humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. Huge difference, right? 

As we read before in Philippians 2:3, to do this, we need to value others above ourselves. So today I want you to focus on the people you’re close to and the irreplaceable value they bring to your life. For this part, I highly recommend journaling. You can open up the Notes app on your phone or write in an actual journal. I created a journal designed specifically for this called The Contentment Journal. Wherever you gather your thoughts, writing them down will help this stick.

Today, think about these three things:

1.  What are your top three favorite attributes you notice and appreciate in your friends or your spouse? Find a way to tell them what you notice about them.

2.  Parents have so much influence over who we become. What are three things your parents did that you want to copy in your own parenting one day? Be sure to share this with them if you can. 

3.  Who do you admire most where you work? How has their work influenced you or helped you succeed? Consider reaching out to them in a text or email to let them know how much you appreciate them. 

Remember, “Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25). I’m so excited to see how refreshed you’ll come to feel this week!