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Humility and success are not exclusives. Indeed, humility can accelerate our learning curve and enhance our people skills and contribute to our success in any area of our lives. But how do we acquire true humility?
We’ve talked about how true humility can be a great asset for us in the business world, because it causes us to be more teachable and more respectful of others. But the question I always ask is “How do I acquire true humility?” It seems very elusive for me at times.
Well, in 1 Peter 5 we’re told to humble ourselves. What are some specific things we can do to humble ourselves?
First, we can learn to be better listeners and truly care about what other people have to say. James says to be quick to listen and slow to speak, and that would surely be a good way to learn to humble ourselves.
Second, we can make a list of the areas in our lives that need some work and ask God to help us make the needed changes. I always need to be more patient, and I can learn to humble myself if I will continually concentrate on putting on patience.
A third way to humble yourself is not to talk about yourself all the time, even when you have an opportunity. When we talk about ourselves a lot, we easily get into bragging and trying to make ourselves look good.
Fourth, we can humble ourselves by asking others to give us any input that would help us to improve. Have you ever done that with your boss or a coworker? They may be able to offer some suggestions about your performance that could be very helpful. It takes a little courage, but it surely is one way to humble yourself.
Jesus said that whoever humbles himself or herself is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven, and he described himself as gentle and humble in heart. Therefore, there is great gain for us in learning to humble ourselves. The most important result is that it makes our lives more pleasing to our Lord. The side benefit is that it enhances our opportunity for success in anything we undertake.
I challenge you, therefore, to decide to humble yourself and discover that humility and success are very compatible attributes.