The Way Up Is Down
“Thousands of humans have been brought to think that humility means pretty women trying to believe that they are ugly and clever men trying to believe they are fools.” – C.S. Lewis
The dictionary definition for humility in the English language is very vague and short sighted. Webster describes the term as someone who is of ‘low social rank or importance’, which could not be more incorrect. Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself…less. The world has seemed to cast a negative connotation to humility, when in fact it is the key to success.
Up. It is the direction that everyone wants to go; the path leading to fame, fortune, and glory. However, how do we actually go ‘up’? If you peeked into any business office, you would think that the way up comes by asserting yourself, stepping on others to get ahead, and self-promotion. People like this are like runners on a treadmill exerting huge amounts of energy but moving nowhere, they are functioning in pride.
God clearly states multiple times in the Bible that He detests the prideful. But why? Pride is the opposite of humility and it causes people to exalt themselves above God by acting in such a way that says: ‘I don’t need God; I can do it myself’. This is a very dangerous position to be in, because you become the god of your own life, which a simply a job humans cannot fill. The way of humility is a submissive heart that says: ‘Everything I have comes from the Lord’.
It is very interesting that some of the most expensive resources on Earth (gold, diamonds, oil) are only acquired by digging deep down into the Earth. The same is with promotion and going ‘up’. The more you fight to be seen or recognized, the further away success seems. However, when you show yourself faithful and humble in your current position, God sees and allows others to see you also. Pride verses humility is equivalent to taking the stairs verses the elevator. Which would you choose?
The way up in life is down. To be ahead, you have to first be content when you are behind the scenes. If you want to be promoted in life, you should listen to the advice of the God who promotes. He wants to give you success, but He will not if the pride in you causes you to mistreat others along the way. In the words of Kendrick Lamar: ‘Sit down and be humble’.
Luke 14:11 – ‘For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’
James 4:10 – ‘Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up in honor.’
