Consider your place in the Universe. Think about all the people who existed before you and all the people who will exist after you. When it comes down to it, you are really a dot on the long line of humanity. You were never known before your existence and you will be forgotten at some point when you're gone.
This is why you should be humble and live humbly. No matter what happens from day to day, in the larger picture, you are a dot, reliant on other dots.
But this shouldn't make you feel like nothing at all. To the contrary, be grateful, celebrate even, that right now, you're alive. Right now, you have life. What better reason to live life to its fullest every day you're here? NOW is the time your dot can make an impact, touch lives, help others and help yourself in some cases to live healthily and happily. What a gift life itself is.
This is also a reason to live fearlessly; any rejection or failure you personally experience on this Earth in the larger picture means almost nothing. You have a great opportunity to be as happy as you can and help others as much as you can to make their lives more fulfilling through your talents and generosity.
But back to humility. You can further contemplate your existence with this Bible verse, Romans 11:18 (International Standard translation):
Do not boast about being better than the other branches. If you boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
And there is a root that supports you. All the people who have gone before you, all the knowledge they built up, the language they coined that you use to communicate, the businesses and industries that rose to give you work, water, shelter and food, the upbringing your parents, teachers, or other loved ones gave you, what your friends have done for you, and so on. That's the root that supports everything you do and everything you are. Not to mention the Creator of life itself, who I call God, and you may call something else (or believe something else) but that's fine. Recognize all that. Be humble.
Also, if you're lucky enough to have all those basic aspects of life mentioned above (work, food, water, shelter), you're lucky. Because not everyone on this Earth does. And even in your own life, you may go through times when these things are in abundance, and others when they're not. Be grateful for what you do have. Be humble.
More than anything, remember the root. Remember where you came from and those who helped you get to where you are. No one on this Earth is 100 percent original and no one's knowledge is 100 percent their own. Ideas and inspiration come from elsewhere. You yourself are unique, but you come from elsewhere, not from yourself. Remember that. Be thankful for that. Be humble.
Thoughts? Feel free to disagree -- with anything above -- or share alternate viewpoints. Discussion is most welcome.
Follow Craig Kanalley on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ckanal
Kitty Stryker: Why You Should Listen to Sex Workers Giving Marriage Advice
This is the bases for your argument for being humble. To me this is the biggest argument to NOT be humble. If you're just a speck in the big PLAN, then you need to be the biggest, best and most brilliant speck. Otherwise it was just a ride into obscurity.
I started the piece that way for anyone who goes around saying/thinking they're the best, it may remind them of reality.
Humility is knowing oneself. To be humble is to know that even though you may be the strongest, fastest, and perhaps even the best running back that has ever lived, you could get into a car accident and loose a leg. To be humble is to realize that while you may make millions of dollars a year, you may have terminal cancer and have 4 months to live.
Know yourself. Think. Do you not realize that chance, fate or God (which ever one you prefer), may take away your talent, your health, your money, or worse...your loved ones? To know yourself would be to see what is your role in this "plan." The talents that you have, where you were born (best country in the world), the parents that you have, the financial stability... were not you.
If I may use a building simile, and I think I can, the plan is like a big Church; each one of us like a stone. There are many stones that are needed and each stone sustains a purpose for the structure. And while the facade is the most beautiful part and most praised, the stones beneath earth,
But when feeling high and mighty one should reach into the left pocket, and find the words: "I am but dust and ashes."
Thank you for this humbling article. We know or should know as Christians that we are fighting a daily battle of sin in our life. We are empowered by God's spirit to SIN...LESS, then we use to, as we accept the reality that we are NOT SINLESS.
All sin is bad, but, I believe the biggest sin is PRIDE. The fall of one of the most beautiful angels is attributed to this vice, and a lot more besides.
The gospel message repeats over and over again, that salvation is a gift so NO ONE can BOAST.
When the gospel is corrupted with legalism, it's produces people who are arrogant and causes them to compare their "works to ACHIEVE salvation" to those who have "works of salvation" ...
Like Cain they trust in what they can do and despise the gospel message of grace and compassion as they compare their haughty self appointed standards on others.
Shalom
For the true doctrine of God's grace convicts -- striking down human pride with unsparing and uncompromising severity?
http://www.edwardfudge.com/written/gracetext.html