Hello my lovelies! If you’ve been in church for any length of time, you have probably heard pastors and Bible teachers encourage you to be humble. But, if you’re like me, you may wonder, “What does it mean to be humble? And how can I know when I’m actually humble?” It always seemed like a vague concept to me until one day when I stumbled across some fascinating ideas. Then I understood- with startling clarity- what true humility was all about.  

Read on to learn the surprising truth about humility.

1. Humility is not having a bad opinion of yourself.

I used to think that humility meant criticizing myself so I wouldn’t be proud. I would try to hide my talents and abilities and keep others from finding out about my successes. And I would even bend the truth to make myself look bad. (Thankfully, my mom pointed it out to me so I would stop doing that).

But this is NOT true humility. 

What is the opposite of humility?

It is pride. Pride is focusing on me—my needs, my desires, my performance (whether good or bad). It can show up as boasting or bragging. 

Or it can show itself as excessive self-criticism and beating yourself up mentally. It may cause you to worry incessantly about your reputation, or replay conversations in your mind to critique what you said. 

So what does true humility mean? 

It’s simple, really.

2. Humility means forgetting self, and focusing on God and others.

Humble people aren’t even thinking about themselves. They are focused on loving and serving others and loving God. 

John the Baptist is the perfect example of this attitude. Before Jesus’ entry into public life, John had a dramatically successful public ministry. 

But, when the Nazarene appeared on the scene, people flocked to Him and left John behind.  

Concerned, John’s disciples told him that Jesus was baptizing more disciples than he was!

John responded with seven words that changed everything. 

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Is that our heartbeat and battle cry? If not, perhaps we have some soul searching and repenting to do.

3. Humility means building others up.

A humble man is always seeking to encourage others and help them grow. He’s the one who cheers on his friends and celebrates their achievements. 

When his friend buys a new set of wheels, he’s genuinely happy for them. 

When his coworker gets a promotion, he doesn’t feel threatened or jealous. 

Humble people are equally happy whether they’re the smartest person in the room or not. Because they’re not constantly assessing everyone else and trying to compete with them.

Instead, they focus on encouraging others. They know how powerful praise is, and they seek to build others up with their words. 

4. Humility means accepting correction with a good attitude.

A humble woman knows that she isn’t always right. No matter how sincere or well meaning she is, she WILL make a mistake at some point.

And someone—a pastor, parent, friend, or adviser—is going to talk to her about it.

She has two options at that point. 

1. Defend herself, react, be offended.
2. Listen carefully, thank them, seek to learn from it.

Which of these 2 options does a humble girl choose? You guessed it- number 2!

I’ve definitely been in those situations several times. It’s not fun to have someone that you deeply respect telling you that you’ve made a mistake. 

It’s embarrassing. It stings. And you’re probably going to cry.

But…it’s worth it. I have learned SO much from those rebukes and corrections. And I’m thankful for them. 

If you want to be humble, accept correction with a good attitude. 

5. Humility doesn’t mean that you can’t accept a compliment.

What should a person do when someone gives them a compliment? The Bible tells us that we are to give honour where honour is due (Romans 13:7). In his epistles, Paul praised different people in the churches for their godliness, ministry, and faithfulness. It’s not wrong to give sincere praise, nor is it wrong to accept it.

In my opinion, the humble answer would be, “Thank you for the encouragement.” And then, seek to deflect praise to God and to your parents, teachers, and others that have poured into your life. “I’m thankful that God has given me an ability/talent, and my parents have taught me and provided opportunities for me to develop it.”

Don’t argue with the speaker or insist that no, your solo really did sound tone deaf and shrill. Just accept it graciously, deflect praise, and move on. 

Let’s Chat:

I hope these truths have been helpful to explain humility a little better. Have you met people who model true humility in their lives? How are they living out humility? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!

love,

Claudine

For Further Reading: 

9th Grader Seeks Humility by Michael Pearl

The Great Sin- Chapter 8 of Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis

(I do not agree with all viewpoints expressed by these authors, but I have learned much from them.)