Humility is a difficult trait to pin down. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines it as, “freedom from pride or arrogance: the quality or state of being humble.” In some ways, the definition is useful in that it tells us what humility is not. But it doesn’t do a very good job of defining what humility is.
I’d like to take the idea of what humility isn’t a bit further in today’s post. First, humility is the opposite of pride – in other words, it doesn’t puff up the person based on their own achievements, status, or possessions. Humility is also the opposite of shame – because shame is tied up in knots and obsessing over what the person is not. Humility is also the opposite of judgment because judgment considers itself loftier and better than the person that you’re judging.
(Note that when I talk about judgment, I’m talking about pointing the finger at others who are “more sinful” or at least “less righteous” than the person pointing the finger. Making an assessment of a situation or determining good from evil and motives of hearts is not the type of judgment I’m talking about. We are called to have this kind of discernment (see 1 John 4:1, Hebrews 5:14, 1 Kings 3:9, Romans 12:2, John 7:24, etc.) Paul even prayed, “that your love may abound more and more with…all discernment… and so be pure and blameless” (Philippians 1:9-10).)
Humility is the ability to see clearly right from wrong and yet to allow love to dictate a response. Humility is decerning what is true and living by that truth, from the mundane to the highly spiritual. Humility sees beyond itself to the needs of others, but it also understands its own needs and will care for itself as well as others’ needs.
Humility is not found in denying oneself for the sake of denying oneself. That’s just Greek philosophy. In fact, denying oneself can actually be an act of pride, depending on how it’s done: “I’m going to choose to do this, and I’m going to choose to set aside what I want, so that I can show just how humble I am.” (None of us have ever done that, right?)
At the end of the day, if you love well, you’ll 1) fulfill the law, and 2) end up humble whether you want to or not. Living in humility isn’t so much about not doing this as much as it is intentionally loving the way that God loves.
