It is a quality in developing love of God
Today our children are taught, directly and indirectly, that humility is something that does not get you far in this world. They are told they are “special” – better than others – and that the world owes them.
But for one who is trying to develop love for God, ideas of ‘specialness’ or self-importance go against all spiritual concepts:
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Ephesians 4:2
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. Proverbs 11:2
Humble yourself before the Lord and He will lift you up. James 5:5
Thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street, one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. Sri Siksastakam
Being humble does not mean you cannot be assertive. You can be both a successful community leader, businessperson or politician and humble at heart. The key to humility is offering all respect to others, not feeling you are better than anyone else, and having a low view of one’s importance, remembering we are all sparks of God, we are all God’s children.
In fact, when we come into contact with someone who treats others in this way we experience that it is a very attractive quality. It’s a strange world when we promote the opposite.
Namaste!
Beautiful post. Namaste dear brother
Being humble does not mean you cannot be assertive‼️‼️YES‼️nor does it preclude or diminish KINDNESS. Thank you for Sri Chaitanya’s Sri Siksastakam prayer & quotes from the Bible.👍❣️🙏Happy to see your kind face🌈
Thank you for this message. Often people misunderstand humility to be akin to an “inferiority complex”, which is just the opposite side of the coin of the “self esteem” feeling of ‘specialness’ you described above.
By understanding the truth that the real identity of every living being is that we are all eternal souls, all belonging to God and equally loved and valued by Him, respect to all comes naturally. This verse from Bhagavad Gita comes to mind:
“And when you have thus learned the truth, you will know that all living beings are but part of Me – and that they are in Me, and are Mine.”
Humility is a natural characteristic of the spiritually awakened person.
Thank you
Namaste
Wow, beautiful, thanks Pramada, Siva dasi & Sharon. Namaste
I once asked a question about humility and the answer was: humility is not thinking of oneself as ‘less than’ more about thingking ‘less about oneself’. With that answer everything fell into place for me.
Thanks Helen, great point!
It’s easy to go thru life and not think much about such subjects as this, but the ideas you present are worth contemplation for sure, thank you.
Thank you, it’s nice to know there’s someone out there who reads my posts! All the best, Charles