Humility: It Is About Truly knowing One’s Limitations

“Humility is the most difficult of all virtues to achieve; nothing dies harder than the desire to think well of self.”—T. S. Eliot

In his book, ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People,’ Stephen Covey refers to humility as the mother of all virtues and refers to courage as their father. However, in this article, our focus is on the tranquil mother of morality: the virtue of humility.

Covey’s argument for placing such a soft-seeming quality at the highest spot of nobility is based on the fact that we are a created being. It is plainly sensible that a created entity should embrace humility. All might and wisdom emanates from our Maker. Almighty God is the only One who has ultimate control over everybody and everything. 

So, no matter how powerful a human being is, he must guard himself against the temptation of arrogance and oppression for one simple reason: we are all mortals, we shall die one day and lose our sovereignty, whether we like it or not.

It is with this knowledge that even the mightiest people in the world should be careful of their thoughts and actions, especially in a tall moment of rage or fame.

To lack humility is become proud. To become proud is to be arrogant. And arrogance is always a precursor to downfall. So to conquer our arrogant tendencies and develop a lasting sense of humility, let’s take to heart what the British theologian, C. S. Lewis has to say:

“A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.”

Since no human is omnipotent, it is therefore not our rightful place to be proud. Arrogance doesn’t really befit mortals. Only God is Omnipotent and Omniscient.

Moreover, an arrogant person, no matter how powerful is always vulnerable. 

Why? 

This is because his arrogant pride can blind him to a lethal weakness.

For example: in the sea world of reptiles, a crocodile is so strong that it can squash the strongest human skull by the mere power of its teeth.

However, that singular power has a corresponding weakness: the crocodile will lose that edge if we can manage to keep its mouth close, even with the tips of our hands.

If it the crocodile gets hooked and is unable to open its mouth and move its sharp tail, the reptile is practically powerless.

Therefore, if the crocodile suddenly feels invincible, then boldly craws into the city of humans because of the power of its jaws, it may actually land itself in the cage or worse, loses its life. 

But if the crocodile remembers its limitations and restrains itself from undue pride, the reptile will easily retain its freedom, its power and its life. 

The same is true for us, humans; arrogance is the beginning of our ruin. 

In the end, hubris is fatality while humility is honour.

This is why an American diplomat, John J. McCloy concludes that:

“Humility leads to strength and not to weakness. It is the highest form of self-respect to admit mistakes and to make amends for them.”

To have humility doesn’t mean we don’t have powers, but it means we are modest about them. It means we know that we are not completely independent. 

It means we know that only Our Creator is the All-Powerful One. Only God is absolutely perfect and without any blemish, without any equal. So we curb ourselves from all forms of excess and tyranny.

Meanwhile, our strength can be a source of grave weakness. Generally, a weakness is almost always an offshoot of a source of strength. 

For example:

Generally, the most passionate person among us will also have the greatest potential capacity for fury. 

Generally, the most discerning person among us will also have the greatest potential capacity for distrust. 

Generally, the most powerful person in the land will also have the greatest potential capacity for arrogance. 

For all of us, the way out of these different levels of potential flaws is the cultivation of humility. In agreement to this, a morality thinker, Donald Curtis said:

“Humility is not weakness; it is the epitome of strength.”

And Curtis concluded that:

“Humility moves a person away from human, personal weakness and limitation into divine expression, strength, and expansion.”

The cultivation of humility is the beginning of serenity: the door to the temple of peace.

Finally, by remembering our limitations and making wiser choices as a result, we shall realize rather than being a source of weakness as some may people assume, genuine humility is indeed, a special form of super-power.