Article December 20, 1941 Issue

Humility

MINNIE SUCKOW

To the average individual, humility offers little attraction until he learns the real meaning of this quality. As long as humility is believed to imply the limiting and belittling of one's ability, self-depreciation, or a sense of inferiority, one may see nothing appealing in such a state of thought. When, however, one discovers the true nature of humility, its beauty and strength, the dominion which it confers, and the right relationship of man to God which it reveals, one realizes that it is a most precious quality and greatly to be sought after.

Christ Jesus gave the scientific meaning of humility in those two simple yet profound statements: "I can of mine own self do nothing;" and, "Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works." In the first statement he repudiated self-will and human pride. In the second, he eliminated the burden of a false sense of responsibility, with its fear of possible failure, and acknowledged his unity with the Father, who does all, and who never fails. Christ Jesus placed entire reliance upon God, instead of depending upon the shifting sands of belief in a selfhood apart from God.

The absurdity of false pride, the opposite of humility, is seen when it is realized that the real man is the reflection of God. A reflection can do nothing of itself. It depends upon the original for its expression! Without an original, there can be no reflection. The sun and sunshine may serve as an illustration. It is apparent that the sun sends out sunshine. There would be no sunshine were it not for the sun. So it is with man, who is the expression of God. Mary Baker Eddy states in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 258), "God expresses in man the infinite idea forever developing itself, broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis." Such being the case, there is never any occasion for false pride, but only for gratitude and humility.

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