The Power of Humility: Rediscovering Our Inherent Worth
Sept 22, 2024, Dean Peter Catt
Some words of a poem by Wendell Berry:
If there are a chosen few, then I am not one of them. If an elect, well, then I have not been elected. I am one who is knocking at the door. I am one whose foot is on the bottom rung, but I know that heaven’s bottom rung is heaven, though the ladder is standing on the earth where I work my day and at night sleep, with my head upon a stone.
The Text of Terror and the Weight of Expectations
Six years ago on this Sunday in the three-year cycle, I referred to the first reading from the book of Proverbs as a Text of Terror, a term coined by the Baptist biblical scholar Phyllis Tribble. In her book of that title, she outlines the terror-filled nature of the stories of four women in the Old Testament, pointing out that the way the stories were captured by the writers and have been used highlights the misogyny in the scriptures, and in the way they have been used in churches, synagogues, and universities.
I added the piece about the “capable wife” to Tribble’s list because of the effect that it too can have. It’s not simply a celebration of an individual, but because it has the status of scripture, it can be seen as providing a set of universal expectations: This is what a wife is. And this is what she does.
There may well be people who, reading Proverbs’ description of the capable wife, find that it legitimizes who they are and how they live. They like to get up before dawn and burn candles deep into the night, doing things for others. But for others, it will be received as a set of impossible-to-meet expectations, describing a person they are not, and placing before them their constant failure to be the person it describes, to fulfill that role. For these people, the text may be experienced as violent, and even as one of terror. Particularly if the expectations the passage puts forward are used against them by themselves, significant others, or the community in general.
The Virtue of Humility: A Tool for Navigating Expectations
I want to suggest today that one of the tools we have at our disposal to negotiate the territory that expectations—not just the expectations of Proverbs, but expectations in general—place before us, is the virtue of humility.
Contrary to popular characterisations of it, the practice of humility is not about being self-deprecating or denying who one is. It’s not about putting oneself down, and to understand Jesus’ words in the Gospel today in that way is to misunderstand what he is saying. In fact, the practice of humility involves us doing exactly the opposite.
The truly humble person is one who is self-aware, who knows what their gifts and talents are, and then seeks ways to best use them. The humble person also knows which gifts and talents are not theirs, and so does not pretend to possess talents they do not have, nor claim to be someone they are not. To be humble is to be grounded.
The words “humus” and “humility” come from the same root word.
The Theological Grounding of Humility
The practice of humility is enabled by some deep theological framing. Framing that allows us to embrace the practice of humility in an authentic way for it to come naturally out of who we are. This theological framing speaks of the value of the human person as being something that is inherent. That is, we are valued and loved because we are.
We are valued, full stop.
This stands in stark juxtaposition to the framing that our society uses, which in all sorts of ways conveys the idea that some people are more valuable than others. The societal value system is paraded before us daily, not only in terms of people’s access to things like health services, the justice system, and our welfare system, but also in the way people view one another and speak about one another.
Many of the elderly, those with mental health issues, the homeless, the unemployed, and others, will testify to the ways in which they are seen as being of less value than others.
The Societal Value System: The Sliding Scale of Worth
This societal system that attributes human worth on a sliding scale causes us to feel the need to show that we are worthy, that we meet the standards that will make us good enough to be valued. We have to talk ourselves up. Whether that’s us seeking to meet expectations about body image—which increasingly is affecting men as well as women—or whether it’s to do with dress, some capacity, our behavior, our achievements, our employment, and so on.
We have to earn our place. We have to show that we are worthy of being valued. The Gospel reading today reminds us that this is not a new dynamic. The disciples are caught out vying for the top position in a group which Jesus was trying to craft into a community of equals. If they had even begun to understand Jesus’ regard for them, they would never have had that conversation.
And whilst the dynamic is not new, the continued rise of hubris—which is the opposite of humility—is now becoming an existential threat. Increasingly across the globe, we see in the world of politics the expression of hubris, with its attendant techniques of lies, demonization of others, and deceit. All exercised by fragile egos who do not know their inherent worth, and who are seeking to prove that they’re valued. And it’s driving countries into increasing spirals of violence, both within and without.
Hubris and Humanity’s Relationship with the Planet
Similarly, the failure of humanity as a species to exercise humility, to appreciate who we are and where we fit, is yielding disastrous results for us and for the planet. Hubris sees us understanding that we are separate from the rest of the biosphere, whereas humility would see us understanding how we fit in and how we work with the rest of the system.
The reflection piece included in the Service Notes today talks of us needing to make sacrifices so that others on the planet might thrive. I would want to cast it through the lens of humility in slightly different terms, while aiming for the same result.
Reimagining Sacrifice Through Humility
My sense is that if we allow the theological grounding of which I spoke earlier—the idea of inherent value—to permeate our understanding of ourselves, of others, and of the planet, then we would simply choose very different ways to live with each other and the other creatures with whom we share this incredible jewel.
To see ourselves, everyone, and everything else as valued simply because we are, and they are, with nothing else to prove, will help us concentrate on being relational, rather than being competitive. It will help us to see that we are not separate from others. The sense of connection that the truly humble can afford to enjoy will help us see that we diminish ourselves if we diminish other things.
In that light, that which the reflection in our Service Notes calls “sacrifice” becomes giving in and through love. It loses the sense of being a costly imposition and becomes the desire to nurture the other.
Reflection Questions
1. How do I understand and practice humility in my daily life?
Reflect on whether your sense of self-worth is shaped by external validation or by an inner awareness of your inherent value. How does this understanding influence the way you interact with others and the world around you?
2. In what ways do the expectations of others shape my view of myself and my sense of value?
Consider how societal, familial, or personal expectations impact your sense of identity. Are there expectations that feel burdensome or difficult to meet? How can embracing humility help you navigate these pressures?
3. How can I better live in connection with others and the planet?
Reflect on the idea of humility as recognising our interdependence with other people and creation. How might shifting from a mindset of competition or superiority to one of mutual care and nurturing affect your relationships and lifestyle choices?