Article July 5, 1924 Issue

Humility

LILLIAN V. BYRD

Recently the words, "Humility aids discernment," brought about such an awakened thought to the writer that it resulted in a healing. On considering humility and the quickened intelligence resulting from the truly humble consciousness, one fact became clear, that one's increased efficiency is in proportion to his acknowledgment of God as the only Mind or intelligence, and of himself as the reflection or expression of this Mind. We learn in Christian Science that so-called mortal mind never produces a real effect, and that its seeming activities are powerless before the consciousness of good. Humility is one of the attributes of this consciousness.

A dictionary definition of humility is "freedom from pride and arrogance." Thus, freedom is the natural concomitant of true meekness, which brings with it a quickened perception. The humility which led Solomon to ask God for "an understanding heart" resulted in the discernment and wisdom upon which his subjects came to lean gratefully, and for which the ages have done him homage.

It sometimes seems to those who are not students of Christian Science that the Christian Scientist's understanding of humility is at variance with the commonly accepted meaning of the term. This is because Christian Science teaches men to be meek before the true understanding of God, but mighty before whatever claims to be the opposite of God, good. God, the creator and governor of man, cannot express sin, sickness, or death; so man, God's child, cannot, in reality, express these errors. It is the very opposite of meekness—in fact, it is ignorance and presumption—to assume inharmony of any kind, when the loving Father-Mother God, the Giver of all good, knows of no inharmony in His perfect kingdom.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Humility

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access