Thoughts on Being Humble

OK, so sometimes I beat myself up, and criticize myself, and call myself names, and tell myself that everyone else does this thing called living better than me. And while that is no fun at all, at least I obey the Scriptural admonition to not think more highly of myself than I ought! (Rom. 12:3)  At those moments, of all the things I struggle with,  I do not think one of them is pride. In fact I feel rather humble and contrite.

However, there is still one problem. I am thinking about ME.

C.S. Lewis said:

"True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less."

Ouch.

That would mean instead of thinking about how I can be happier in my marriage I would be thinking about how to make my husband happier.

That means instead of thinking about how we can improve our financial status I would be thinking about how we can give more to those in need.

That means instead of thinking about how to help my kids gain some accomplishment (and bolster my motherly pride) I would be thinking about how to minister to their hearts and souls to equip them to serve the Lord with their lives in unseen ways that never make it to Facebook or the annual Christmas letter.

That means instead of thinking about MY goals and MY dreams and MY desires and MY needs I would be thinking about my SAVIOR who laid aside His deity, His status, and His rights to become human. And then thinking only of me, of you, and of every living person on this planet, He died for the payment of my sins and yours. (Philippians 2 says it much better!)

He didn't think less of Himself. He just didn't think of Himself at all.

True humility. I don't need to think less of myself....I just don't need to think of myself at all.