Cultivating Humility
After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?” But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” (Mark 9:33–35)
While humility is indeed a quality of one’s character, we’re not born with it. Humility is not a disposition some are fortunate to have, while others are simply predisposed to egomania. Humility is a character quality that needs to be cultivated. Whether humble people recognize it or not, humility is a discipline; it is a character quality we must learn. Remember the command? “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God . . .” (1 Peter 5:6 KJV).
As we focus our thoughts on this crucial Christian discipline, let’s begin by clarifying four important issues.
First, although humility is a Christlike virtue, it is neither understood nor admired by most Western cultures. Most models of strong leadership consider it rather strange for a prominent leader to show humility. Bending the knee to help others or to admit weakness is to make oneself vulnerable to those who would displace him. Leaders usually view themselves as being there to be served, except for short periods of time when it’s noble to condescend and serve others—but not for too long. Humility is not something a person merely has; it’s what we are called to do.
Second, we appreciate humility in others but rarely want it for ourselves. The price is too high. Humility is not what gets us ahead, and—let’s be completely honest—we like humble people around us because they don’t threaten our position. They’re safe people with that quaint little virtue that keeps them on the sidelines during the scramble to the top of the hill. We can afford to be humble after we’re king. Even Christ’s disciples weren’t immune.
Third, humility is not the result of having low self-esteem. There are some who would have us focus our full attention on our own unworthiness, our pitiable estate and wormlike qualities, justifying such a mind-set by adding that we amount to nothing apart from Christ.
Fourth, as a discipline we can measure our success in humility. As a virtue we cannot. As soon as we think we’re humble, we’re not! I have found that genuinely humble people have a natural inattention concerning their humility. They don’t even think of themselves as humble. As a matter of fact, they rarely think of themselves at all. Humble people are too occupied with the well-being of others to guard their own interests or notice their own self-importance.
