H = Humility

I was on a totally different page when I first thought of writing about humility.  I was on the plane of humiliation which isn't quite the same thing...and this is why we research before we type!

I found two things on-line that stood out to me in my research.

1-Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts.  It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.  ~William Temple

2 - Humility is something that is something that is gained and practiced as we grow in wisdom and grace.

I think of those who give endlessly of their time and their talents.  They give up to give and those people always amaze me.  So many of us are concerned about what we're going to get or what we're due.  So many do 'the right thing' simply for show or for credit.  Some do to keep up with others - not purely out of the goodness of their hearts.

I wonder what problems are caused by pride, by arrogance, our egos, or our haughtiness?  I've given my pride a few good deep wounds and I don't care to put on any repeat performances. Thank you though.   I have noticed that a little too much arrogance has come back to slap me in the face on more than one occasion.  I try to keep it in check but, I come from a loooong genetic line of it.  And let me tell you, a bout with infertility will smash and stomp any ego you once had into the ground without batting so much as an eyelash.  And my personal favorite, haughtiness - the exaggerated sense of one's importance.  My question is who in the hell gave any of us any right or reason to judge one another - because really, haughtiness is all about a judgement - a decision I have made that I am more important than you when in truth, God made us all equal. 

I try to remember the parables of Jesus, (Mark 13:35-36)  35 Watch therefore -- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the  morning -- 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep.

My goal, ultimately is to credit God for all of my gifts and my talents.  I will always need The Lord's guidance in every way of my life.  I need him to show me how to grow in wisdom and in grace, and I need to understand my growth will be achieved in his time and not mine.

I don't know about you but, I know I have no control over the timing of my life on this Earth.  I can tell you, I'm working hard to clean up my act, I don't want God to come looking for me and catch me with my pants down around my ankles.  I want to make sure I'm ready to go with humility rather than humiliation!