Maintaining an attitude of genuine and positive humility is something that every one of us grapples with from time to time. There are various reasons for this, some stemming from pride or self-interest, and others from misconceptions of what humility actually is. I want to share a perspective with you that I have found really helpful as I endeavor to embrace a mindset of positive humility in my own life.

What Humility is Not

A big misconception surrounding the subject of humility is it’s association with self-depreciation and playing oneself down through comparison with others. So much of our self-esteem is shaped by the comparisons we make between ourselves and other people. In some ways we feel as though those who more successful than us (by whatever metric we use to measure that) are superior to us; better qualified, more gifted, wiser, bolder, more blessed, etc.

This kind of thinking is obviously nonsense, yet it is deceptively invasive. Genuine humility actually has nothing to do with where we fit into the grand scheme of things in relation to anyone else. You may have heard this adage before:

“Humility is not about thinking less of yourself. It’s about thinking of yourself less.”

Simon Sinek

I think that’s a really good starting point. The question is, however, how do we get to the place of thinking of ourselves less in a world that is utterly self-absorbed?

Truth

A good starting point is to try and embrace God’s perspective about ourselves and others. You see, God sees us all as we truly are. Though we can put on a façade to fool our friends, we know that God sees right through it. How different would our lives look if we gave up the game of masks and masquerades, and walked in the light of the truth of who God has made us to be in Christ?

A truly humble man is one who is honest about himself – warts and all. As Christians, we know that – apart from Christ – we are deeply selfish, broken and sinful beings. We know that our righteousness and any form of goodness come only through our relationship with Jesus. We therefore have nothing to prove and nothing to defend.

This does not mean that we are unable to change where growth is needed. It simply means that we think soberly and honestly about who we are. Acknowledging our shortcomings or the areas of our character that need work is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of humility – of honesty.

Taking a Look at Jesus

Jesus knew He was the Son of God, yet He lived a life of sacrifice and devotion to the service of others. He could do this because He was secure in His identity and worth – He had nothing to prove and nothing to defend. Take a look at what he said to the disciples after willingly taking on the culturally demeaning task of washing their feet at the last supper:

¹² After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. ¹⁴ And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. ¹⁶ I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. ¹⁷ Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.

John 13:12-17 [NLT]

We see from this portion of scripture that genuine and positive humility delivers us from the restrictions of our reputation. When we are no longer limited by worrying about how others may perceive us, we are free to perform random acts of kindness that demonstrate the value and love that God places on all those around us.

The realisation that we are neither more or less important than they are to God is a wonderful liberator. It comes from the knowledge that God has demonstrated the same love toward us all. It is clearly articulated in what must be the most famous scripture of them all:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

John 3:16 [NKJV]

When we consider those we encounter every day, from people in powerful positions to the lady who mops the floor at the mall, all of them are equally loved and valued by God. We have the honour and privilege of following the example of Jesus in communicating that love and value through the way we behave towards others and reach out to serve them. Perhaps the best way to round out this thought is with the very words of Jesus: “Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”