Many people have the mistaken notion that humility is weakness, that the humble man is somehow less a man than his boastful neighbor. Indeed, one dictionary not only defines "humble" as "not proud or haughty" but says that it "may also imply undue self-depreciation. Neither the Bible nor Christian Science agrees with this implication. The importance of humility to the student of Christian Science is shown by Mrs. Eddy's statement, "Experience shows that humility is the first step in Christian Science." ^{Miscellaneous Writings, p. 354;}

There is a positive force to humility that is never recognized by those who equate a humble status with failure or weakness. Some of the world's greatest men have been truly humble, whereas littleness of character accompanies arrogance, wherever found. That greatest of all men, Christ Jesus, was also the most humble. He said, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise." ^{John 5:19;} Therein lies the positive power of humility.

Christian Science teaches that man, far from being a sinning mortal with big or little ideas of his own importance, is the image of God, the perfect reflection of infinite Principle. A clear understanding of this relationship of man to God is fundamental to demonstrating this Science. Christ Jesus' life of humility and power best exemplified the true reflection of God and set a pattern for all to follow. And follow we can if we realize the importance of getting our material sense of self out of the way so that our true spiritual selfhood, the perfect reflection of divine Mind, can be seen and expressed in thought and action.

The ability to combine the self-effacing meekness that eschews any personal power with the confident expectancy of all good from our Father-Mother God is true humility. This does not contain any sense of groveling, downtrodden servility, our hoping for a handout from a grandiose overlord; instead it manifests the serene, confident knowing that Mind, God, is all-power and that the need of the moment will be supplied by omnipotent Love. If the need is for physical healing, it will be manifested in a way readily apparent and acceptable to the situation. If the need be the solution of a business problem or one of personal relations, divine Mind will supply the intelligence and direction needed to clear it up.

The positive force of humility is frequently most apparent in the act of minding one's own business, the business of seeing oneself and others as children of divine Love, in spite of the screaming taunts of error. Humility means a sense of unity with God, a freeing of oneself from the enslaving habits of material thinking, combined with complete confidence in the availability as well as the power of omnipotent Spirit. We may not be able to maintain this high state of thought continually, but we all can constantly strive to do so; and when the need is great, anyone can rise above his ordinary plateau of thinking.

The positive force of humility was apparent in an experience the writer had. An attempt to speed up some work he was doing with his wife caused some rapidly boiling water to flow over both of his wife's hands. A feeling of consternation that an act of his had caused injury to another almost overwhelmed him at first. But instantly he realized that God was the only creator and that man could only reflect Him and therefore could not express error.

He realized that the only power he had came from God through reflection and therefore must be good. When the understanding of this truth had eliminated every vestige of self-condemnation, the healing came and was practically instantaneous. Where blisters had been seen rising rapidly, there was only a slight redness; and that soon disappeared.

An instance such as this illustrates how the blending of expectancy of immediate good with the relinquishment of all merely personal responsibility, either good or bad, lets in the light of spiritual discernment. Mrs. Eddy says, "Spiritual sense is a conscious, constant capacity to understand God." ^{Science and Health, p. 209.} The result of utilizing this spiritual sense is healing. Jesus proved this in his mighty works. If the Master could so completely renounce personal pride, surely we can give God all credit for the good that has been manifested to us.