One of the things I’m going to be teaching about this coming Sunday (July 12) is humility.

Throughout the Bible it is consistently listed as a virtue we should strive for:

–Micah 6:8 famously says to “walk humbly with your God.”
–Speaking against shouldering our way into the places of honour at wedding dinners, Jesus said, “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11).
–Alluding to Proverbs 3:34, Peter says, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

Clearly, humility is good.

Humble people don’t act superior, are honest about their dependence on God, and are more likely to willingly serve others (because their lives are less distracted with selfishness).

Let me share one thought that might help us to become more humble: You’re not the only one with something significant to say.

When we’re proud or arrogant—or otherwise distracted with selfishness—we quickly dismiss what other people have to say, as if we have a monopoly on knowledge and wisdom.

But we don’t.

Listening to the ideas of other people is a simple, loving, and down-to-earth way of acknowledging that they have value, and that they have experiences or insights that others might be able to learn from, including us.

Let’s cultivate humility intentionally.

You’re not the only one with something significant to say.

By Matthew Ruttan

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.