There is so much needed to describe what the Beatitudes called meekness but an example of humility struck me the other night while listening to a a rock/country singer-songwriter, Jelly Roll. He obviously didn’t live a privileged life like mine but found his way to the stage of the Grand Ole Opry singing a song called “I Need a Favor”. The line from this song that caught my attention goes like this:

I only talk to God when I need a favor
And I only pray when I ain’t got a prayer
So tell me, who the hell am I to expect a Savior
When I only talk to God if I need a favor?

These words contain honesty, transparency, relationship and not a hint of entitlement. In the act of making this statement there is freedom and strength. This expresses a level of humility that Christ would have us aspire to learn.

I find it fascinating that the Bible, a collection of books penned by so many different people across so much time, has unifying themes that run from Genesis to Revelation. The theme that has caught my attention lately is humility, also called meekness. It is pointed out over and over as a quality that God wants in us. But I feel like our culture has no clue what this important virtue is and has filed it under “niceties that no one cares about”. Yet it is held in high esteem in the narratives in the Bible.

Mother Theresa and Fred Rogers are examples of those who lived a life of humility. I have heard it said that if a person is truly humble, no one around them is aware of it during their lifetime. If you Google examples of humble people it will give you examples of famous people who fly economy class or had small private weddings rather than big extravaganzas. We all know humility is so much more. It is such an important concept and sadly, we don’t even know the correct definition of it. So how can we ever aspire to something about which we know so little?

The Webster definition of humility is freedom from pride or arrogance. I think Mr. Webster nailed it. I really like the “freedom” part of that definition. In humility there is great freedom! It is humble transparency that leads us to this freedom. Transparency is not being secretive or ashamed but being open about who you are and what is in your past. If you are transparent you don’t hide information that you feel would cast you in a bad light. Humble people don’t worry about what others think about them because they aren’t focusing on themselves. So humility knows its flaws and deeply regrets them and doesn’t try to hide them. If we daily accept the forgiveness Jesus offered us, we find such freedom! So I believe humility goes hand in hand with transparency and in this, there is definitely freedom.

Because its ego is not puffed up, the humble are not easily deflated. And because they do not focus on themselves, they are not easily deflated like those who are seeing only themselves and what they lack compared to others. Because of this, they are not fragile like the rest of us. The best kept secret of meekness is that there is great strength in it.

I have noticed the humble are secure, selfless and unhurried. Picture Mr. Rogers singing and slowly putting on his sweater. Humility doesn’t watch a clock because its focus is on others and not on a schedule. Humility believes it is owed nothing in this life and lives gratefully. It is delighted with any good thing that comes its way and sees blessings all around them. The humble are joyful. As created beings, this is the only stance we should take. We had nothing to do with our creation but we were amazingly designed. We cannot get puffed up about it but we can’t curse it either. We are totally dependent on our Creator. In this, there is honesty and no entitlement.