Humility 

   “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18: 14) 

   In my opinion humility is the basis upon which Christianity is built.  Without humility we can never truly know God.

   The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector speaks to the importance of humility. (Luke 18: 9 – 14).  In his pride the Pharisee thanked God for making him different from the rest of mankind.  He even went on to list the reasons that he considered himself better than others.  The tax collector stayed at a distance and wouldn’t even raise his eyes to heaven and prayed, “O God, be merciful to me a sinner.” (Luke 18: 13).  The tax collector went away justified because of his humility.  Because of his pride, the Pharisee did not.

   Sadly, there are many like the Pharisees in the churches of today, eager to recount how faithful they are and tell of all the great things they have done for the Church.  Whenever I hear someone, including myself, talking that way, I always remember that the tax collector went home justified while the Pharisee did not.

   In many ways and on many occasions Jesus spoke of humility in serving God.  His whole life was an example of humility.  If we are to follow Him we must also be humble, for “Pride goes before disaster, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 11: 2)