Spiritual Wellness
"For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted," Christians read in Matthew 23:12.
Humility can seem like an unlikely place to look if you want to gain in knowledge, wisdom, skills, or grow much in any way as a person. Should not you instead be bold, brash, and willing to chase after everything you desire? Conventional wisdom certainly says so, but conventional wisdom also tends to forget the example set by the most accomplished and yet most humble person ever to walk this earth.
Jesus humbled Himself before God and before man, yet He was and always will be the most exalted among us. As in all things, we should follow His example and seek to humble ourselves before others in all that we do and say. "For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted," Christians read in Matthew 23:12. These spiritually inspiring Biblical words of encouragement should be used as a guide as you go through life and encounter new people and situations which call for your humility.
The fact is that no single person knows absolutely everything. No matter how smart and wise you think you are, the amount that you know pales woefully in comparison to everything that you do not know. This is, thankfully, what other people are for. They are there to teach us and provide us with everything we lack, and we are to do the same in return. Unfortunately, such an exchange of skills and talents is impossible without humility.
If you consider someone else's ideas and opinions as beneath you, or if you come to everything with preconceived notions and judgments, then you will never be able to learn anything new. You will always be stuck in your narrow and limited view of the world. Everyone has different experiences, different knowledge, and different skill sets which are meant to complement, not to compete with, our own. Being too prideful to learn from others is the best way to stunt your personal growth.
Being humble doesn't mean that you have to let yourself be changed by someone else's way of thinking. Perhaps in some areas you are more knowledgeable and you do know a better way. You should, not however, scorn what anyone else has to say. Be willing to hear them out and move on respectfully if their ideas are not right for you.
Not only should we humble ourselves before others, as Jesus did, but let's ultimately humble ourselves before God. 1 Peter 5: 6 instructs Christians to, "humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." If we are too prideful to see God working in our lives and to submit to His will for us, then He will never be able to lift us up to the life in Christ that we are called to live.
Though humility should be practiced for the sake of itself, it's also nice to know that being humble has some very important benefits for our lives. As you can see, far from making a person weak, humility is in fact one of the biggest strengths that someone could ever display.
Spiritual Prayer
I know that You can do everything and that no thought can be withheld from You. "Who is he who hides council without knowledge?" Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me which I did not know. "Hear and I will speak I will question You and You shall declare to Me. I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You, therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes.