Humility is not self-deprecation
Humility is not deflecting compliments
Humility is not about me
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Humility is esteeming others
Humility is confidence in something greater
Humility is about everyone else
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What would you add to the list?
How can we cultivate humility in our lives?
Humility is reconizing your own flaws. Thanks man.
Lisa Swanson recently posted..Many Cures
Excellent addition. Thanks Lisa!
Humility is hungering for God to increase and self to decrease (John 3:30)
Great conversation here!
I’m totally late to the party, and perhaps this has already been said. But, for me it all boils down to this:
Humility is being teachable.
Keri recently posted..Eutychus: Let’s Just Hug It Out
That’s huge for me, Keri. I always want to remain teachable. I know that a lot of times, I’m not so teachable. I act like I am on the outside, but I pick and choose who I determine I will learn from.
Humility is a necessary part of remaining teachable. So good!
In reality, you can learn from every single person you come across. We tend to think only in terms of learning from people we admire or who are successful. I’ve learned just as much {maybe even more} from those who have a lot of work to do.
Keri recently posted..Eutychus: Let’s Just Hug It Out
Guilty of all of those. Great reminder, Tony. Awesome piece.
Thanks so much, Ricky “Two Sheds” Anderson.
Richard Foster wrote in his book, Celebration of Discipline, “Humility, as we all know, is one of those virtues that is never gained by seeking it. The more we pursue it the more distant it becomes.”
Always resonates with me (and punches me in the gut).
dustin recently posted..Stonecreek Church Hosts “An Evening with John Eldredge”
I always believed that too but I’ve been struggling with it recently.
Do we really get father away from humility if we pursue it? I don’t know if I can still say yes. Humility is huge for me but I don’t pursue it to for people to say “wow, that guy sure is humble”. I just want my life to be more than self-focused. But I want to know who I am so I can have the confidence to elevate God and others regularly.
I’m going to have to meditate more on this one. I’d love to hear if you have any other thoughts on it.
Humility is speaking about yourself accurately. It requires an accurate assessment of who you are, who you aren’t, and who God is.
Great post and great comments on this one! Thank you Tony.
Ryan Tate recently posted..Regular vs. Decaf
That’s spot-on, Ryan. Thanks man.
Humility is not being less than other
Humility is not powerlesnesss
Humility is not giving up your convictions
God Bless!
Juan Cruz Jr recently posted..Does it really have to be complicated?
Three great additions! Thanks Juan.
Humility and meekness is not weakness.
seekingpastor recently posted..Wanting a Better Voice
Indeed. Nothing weak about it at all. If anything, humility is strength of character.
“Humilitas” by John Dickson- good book!
That’s the second time that book has been recommended to me. I’m going to have to pick it up. Thanks Gregory!
Well the other posters took my answers on what humility is. It’s a hard quality to describe. The second part of your question is how do we cultivate it, and my answer is by knowing God. When I come face to face with the greatness of God through reading scripture, listening to the Holy Spirit, seeing what He is doing in this world, praying, all those things which put me in contact with the divine, the “me-ism” seems to fade. I get a fresh perspecitive of who He is and who I am in Him.
I like that term, “me-ism”. Love your thoughts on cultivating humility. When we make it ALL about him, we just fade into the background. It’s not that we’re not important, we just don’t feel the need to have the spotlight. Thanks Kim!
… is when you sweat without moving. OH wait, that’s humidity. Sorry!
- Humility is admitting you are wrong
- Humility is finding worth in who’s you are
- Humility is willingness to roll up your sleeves, even if it’s a new shirt
- Humility is becoming uncomfortable and loving it
- Humility is stepping out of your bubble
- Humility is walking to the stall next to you with your pants down because there was none in your stall.
Moe recently posted..The Usual Suspects: Eutychus
I must be clear. There was no toilet paper in your stall. Sorry!
One more. Humility is being part of the master story but playing a supporting role, even if it’s just opening the curtain for the main character… Jesus!
Moe recently posted..The Usual Suspects: Eutychus
You so funny!
Dig your list additions too…especially the last one. I’ll be a curtain opener all day in that story!
Well said.
Jason recently posted..Day 262: Realizing who your friends are
Thanks bro. I appreciate you.
Humility = asking for help when we need it
Humility = realizing we are human and not God
Humility = admitting we are human
Humility = praying because we need God
Jenny recently posted..Grace for the Good Girl | Giveaway!
It’s all about admitting dependence, huh? Not the easiest thing to do is it?
I’m still learning the concepts of complete dependence on God and inter-dependence in relationships. Life long lessons there.
Great thoughts.
Humility is realizing we don’t have all the answers. Humility is also listening to Godly counsel.
Eileen recently posted..No One Likes A Whiner
Two important additions, thanks Eileen!
Humility is not about thinking less of yourself, it’s about thinking of yourself less. Wish I could say I coined that one but it’s from the wisdom chronicles of Kris Vallotton.
Andrea York (@andreayorkmuse) recently posted..What You Focus On, You Become
That quote is actually a C.S. Lewis one!
Humility is knowing your place.
Humility is reconizing your own flaws.
Humility is thinking of others.
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Humility is NOT staying quiet.
Humility is NOT staying in your flaws.
Humility is NOT ignoring your needs.
Arny recently posted..“Is It Friday Yet? Ugh!”
Yes, yes, YES! You just wrote a part 2 to this. Thanks bro, love your list!
I think Jason is right when he says it comes from understanding who we are in Christ. I think the more we do for others and the less we think about ourselves the more humility will naturally show.
Excellent thoughts as always!
Jim F recently posted..A Leader Like Moses Or Aaron?
That’s so good, Jim. Bob Goff wrote this on Twitter the other day and I loved it:
“Be the kind of light that makes people squint so hard they can’t even see you anymore”
That is excellent Tony.
Jim F recently posted..A Leader Like Moses Or Aaron?
Stout!
Humility is totally about others. Yes, it can be awkward receiving a compliment, especially if you were not looking to receive one. But it’s actually kinda insulting to the person you touched if you act like it’s no big deal.
So yeah, deflection is not an option.
Michael Perkins recently posted..Choose Hope
I struggled with this for a long time. At one point I didn’t like getting compliments at all. It embarrassed me. Then I liked compliments but would always give God the credit. Ultimately it was still about me, even when I tried to give God the credit.
I had to learn to just say “thank you”. It sounds simple but it was one of those things that took a long time to sink in.
I think humility comes when we truly understand who we are in Christ. I always chuckle at the fact that Moses wrote of himself that Moses was the most humble man to ever live. Definitely doesn’t fit most ideas of humility. But he knew who he was and, more importantly, who he was in God. He leaned on God for strength, he trusted God to work things out, and he didn’t rely on his own strength to do anything.
When we understand and depend fully on Christ, we realize that it’s Him who works through us, and we understand who we really are.
Jason Vana recently posted..Deeper: Forgetting What is Behind
Exactly! That’s why I believe true humility isn’t self-deprecation, it’s confidence! Not in yourself but something greater working through you and in you.
Love the line that it’s not about me.
I have to hear that more in my life!
Thanks Tony
Matthew Snider recently posted..50% Off Sale On All Belkin iPad & iPhone Accessories
That’s been the toughest lesson for me. If I can get the focus off myself, it makes everything else a lot easier.