"He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” — Philippians 2:8
We are blessed with a humble God, so if we wish to follow Him as Christian stewards, we too, must be humble. In fact, humility is key to living the life of a faithful Christian steward, and to a peaceful and fulfilling life. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that as Christians, we are called to be humble.
Recognizing that God is the origin of life and the source of all things, it is a humbling realization to embrace the fact that all we are and all we have been given is a gift from a loving and generous God. This naturally leads us to grow in humility.
“But who am I, and who are my people, that we should have the means to contribute so freely? For everything is from you, and what we give is what we have from you.” — 1Chronicles 29:14
Unfortunately, in today’s culture, humility gets a bad rap. Someone who is humble might be thought of as a doormat, lacking in self-esteem, indecisive or weak. This misconception could not be further from the truth that we learn in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians:
“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.”
—Philippians 2:3
Understanding that the definition of humility is freedom of pride and arrogance, we can certainly be confident and humble, while avoiding arrogance and pride. In fact, when we put our trust in God and live out our faith as a good Christian steward, we have faith in eternal rewards.
In our everyday lives we are given many opportunities to grow in our own humility. Apologizing when we have wronged someone, owning up to our mistakes, giving up control, accepting constructive criticism without resentment, giving our worries to God, and asking for help are all examples of humility. Regardless of what today’s society tries to dictate, acts of humility display great strength and courage.
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”— Luke 14:11
— Shannon Roh is the Executive Director of the Office of Development and Stewardship for the Archdiocese of Mobile.