For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

The Bible records Moses as a humble man, but he didn’t start out that way. (Numbers 12:3) He went from orphan to prince to fugitive to leader to wanderer. By the time he was called humble, Moses had learned that it was not his personal prestige that defined him, but the grace of God in his life. As a humble man, Moses was dedicated to serving others, even though it cost him personally. Seeing the pain of others very often humbles us, as we recognize how much we’ve been given.

The Apostle Peter reminds us that part of being humble is not assuming that we command the best understanding of every situation. Our elders are full of wisdom that we shouldn’t easily dismiss and we should be humble toward one another, honoring the dignity of our peers (1 Peter 5:5). A humble person is rarely dogmatic, but genuinely considers that they may have something to learn from everyone from teachers to toddlers.

Finally, the Old Testament often refers to humility as something that turned God’s anger away from wrongdoers. Humility is recognition that we aren’t God. A humble person sees themselves with sober judgement, as Romans 12:3 suggests. If you’d like to cultivate humility in yourself, try three things: First, answer God’s call of solidarity with those in suffering. Next, become an excellent listener. And finally, dedicate yourself to frequent repentance. Humility will change your life.

 

Resource reading: 1 Peter 5:5-6