It is not self-deprecation. To believe that you have no worth, or were created somehow flawed or incompetent, can be foolish. Humility represents wisdom. It is knowing that you were created with special talents and abilities to share with the world; but it can also be an understanding that you are one of the many souls created by God, and each has an important role to play in life.
Humility is knowing you are smart, but not all-knowing. It is accepting that you have personal power, but are not omnipotent. The unseen – the beauty that exists as potential in each of us – is what makes us alive. If we do not believe we are alive with inner potential, we may not be progressive in our life. But if we are aware of the tremendous potential within and the value of our self-worth, we can understand that the true reality abides in God.
When we reach this stage of maturity and moral development, we can become consistently more productive and useful. We may also become more outgoing. We can feel a surge of joy when others experience good fortune. The desire to accomplish something of lasting benefit can reside at the forefront of our thoughts and bring us closer to success.
As a tree requires a strong root system to grow tall, or a skyscraper must have a deep foundation to hold tension against stress, we need the strength of humility to reach our greatest heights. This strength can serve as our foundation for living and help us step forth in faith and valiantly challenge life, daring to take risks. Wise is the person whose love of work, of family and friends, of colleagues and peers, and of life itself stems from his love of God. We have unlimited potential to create, but it must be rooted in the knowledge of understanding of the perimeters of our personal power.
The humble attitude is a flexible attitude. Just as the tree and the building must sway with the wind, our agility in dealing with whatever life throws our way can become our strength. Inherent in humility resides an open and receptive mind. We do not know all the answers to life, and sometimes not even the right questions have been revealed to us. Humility can be a strength that serves well; it leaves us more open to learn from others and refrains from seeing issues and people only in blacks and whites.
The opposite of humility is arrogance – the belief that we are wiser or better than others. Arrogance promotes separation rather than community. It looks like a brick wall between us and those from who we could learn. Arrogance is a deeply rooted ailment of the soul. The penalty is misery; the remedy lies in the sincere, life-long cultivation of humility which means true self-evaluation and a proper perspective toward the past, present, and future.
