by Edward Moses

Created on: March 29, 2010   Last Updated: April 02, 2010

LIFE WITH HUMILITY

Humility oftentimes conjures up images of weakness, submissiveness, and fear.

But this is a false idea of humility.

 Real humility is a sign of strength, authentic confidence, and courage.

 It is the mark of a true man.

This comment, written by an author whose name I do not recall, perfectly encapsulates the true meaning of humility, one we all will do well to take to heart.

Humility exists at two levels. On one level, it is a state of being humble, or having a low esteem of oneself or tending to project an image of inferiority. It is a feeling that one is less important than others. On the other hand, Humility is a virtue, a position of strength and confidence without a need to advertise, to be pretentious or to be disrespectful of another.  

Both Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher, and St. Augustine, whose life was a study in humility, described it as “the foundation of all other virtues”. Throughout the ages and in every civilization, the one most constant characteristic of many of the respected and successful leaders, thinkers, scientists and teachers is that of humility. All the major religions emphasize repeatedly the importance of humility in the lives of the followers;

In Christianity, consider the life of Jesus, the Son of God. He chose to be born into the family of a poor carpenter, in a stable among animals, and live for most of his life on earth in poverty. And when he began to preach the Doctrine of Heaven he was ridiculed, accused of blasphemy and ignored by the establishment. In the end he was treated like a criminal, tortured and crucified between two thieves. He endured all of this with humility and forgiveness in his heart. His message was clear and indelibly imprinted to all who believe, that entry into the kingdom can be achieved only by humility and forgiveness. The constant theme in the Bible and all Christian literature attests to the overriding emphasis of humility among the disciples, prophets, saints, leaders and teachers in their lives and thought, so much so that the Christianity is often called the Doctrine of Humility.

In Judaism, humility is considered an indispensable ingredient in the religious and social perspective. The Torah contains many references to humility being deeply associated with the complex system of Jewish ethics. Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Chief Rabbi for Great Britain and the Commonwealth, in his excellent essay On Humility, expressed profound sentiments in the

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