At times I often find myself singing, or trying to sing the TR Dallas song Oh Lord it’s so hard to be humble when you’re perfect in every way… Unfortunately in modern times we’ve developed some false connotations for the word humility, such as blind obedience, shyness, not standing up for ourselves or taking credit for our success. In a highly individualised, competitive world where we must promote ourselves constantly to get jobs, be popular and succeed in many areas, the old fashioned notion of humility seems to only hold one back.
But humility is not putting yourself down or lacking pride, it is not excessive modesty or submissiveness. Rather, we achieve humility when we completely conquer our selfish pride, when we do not see ourselves as superior to any other human being, and when we are fully grateful for everything we have achieved and those who have helped us along the way. It’s when we stop pushing others down so that we might step up and instead support each other arm in arm and hand in hand. It is not at all an easy state to achieve.
To be humble
To be humble we must acknowledge that we are wrong sometimes. Accept feedback from others with grace and gratefulness, trying our best to learn from our mistakes rather than ignoring any suggestions that we don’t want to hear. We must learn to accept help and advice with gratitude. We must also take full responsibility for our failures and the consequences of these and not turn the blame on others.
A large part of humility is forgiveness. When we learn to forgive those who have wronged us and also to apologise to those who have wronged we step off our soapbox and learn that it is not our role to judge others. We must also endure unfair treatment with patience and grace, knowing that the world is not always fair but we can do our best to be so. A humble person can be happy for others; can rejoice in their successes and achievements without feeling that they are any less because of them. With this we must try to only think and speak good things about others, celebrating their strengths rather than complaining about their flaws.
A humble person is never above helping others. In fact they could look for opportunities to be or service and assistance to friends, family and strangers.
However, to do so humbly is to not shout it from the rooftops, but rather do good deeds without any recognition or reward, to even remain anonymous in their charity. Of all the beautiful people I have met though, those that are humble in their greatness are by far the most admirable. It takes a pure heart to soar high and still keep one’s feet on the ground.
Live each day to the fullest
‘Don’t undermine your worth by comparing yourself with others. It is because we are different that each of us is special. Don’t set your goals by what other people deem important, only you know what is best for you. Don’t let your life slip through your fingers by living in the past or in the future. By living your life one day at a time, you live all the days of your life. Don’t give up when you still have something to give. Nothing is really over… until the moment you stop trying. Don’t be afraid to admit that you are less than perfect, it is the fragile thread that binds us to each other. Don’t be afraid to encounter risks, it is by taking chances that we learn how to be brave. Don’t shut love out of your life by saying it’s impossible to find. The quickest way to receive love is to give love. The fastest ways to lose love is to hold on to tightly, and the best way to keep love is to give wings. Don’t dismiss our dreams. To be without dreams is to be without hope. To be without hope is to be without purpose. Don’t run through life so fast that you forget where you’ve been. But also know where you’re going. Life is not a race but a journey to be savoured every step of the way. Live each day to the fullest.’—A Creed To Live By by Nancye Sims.
Thought for the week
As your thought for the week, remember to keep genuine humility in your life. By doing so, you are constantly keeping yourself in check with others around you, and at the same time you are opening yourself up to continue learning and growing as a person. Humility is the ability to know that we aren’t perfect, we aren’t broken, we are who we are and we are all very special and don’t ever forget that!
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- Ronan Scully
