James Kraft Supporter 74 year old retired pipeline worker

Humility is the opposite of pride and selfrighteousness. Only God is Holy. Our feeble attempts to make our selves righteous will fail and create humility in us. We show kindness to others realizing that we have our own faults. 

We love people because Jesus loves us and gave His life for us. We show grace to others because God has shown us such grace and mercy. The only way to learn humility is for God to bring us low. 

Pride always goes before a fall. When we think we are something, God says we are nothing. We understand that God does not need us, but we sure do need Him.

It is understanding that we have nothing in us to commend us to God. We all sin and fall short of the Glory of God.

Paul said it best; He had a thorn in the flesh to keep him from pride and selfrighteosness. He asked the Lord three times to remove it, and God said NO, Sometimes it is better for us to have some small sin in our life than to be pridefull and selfrighteous. 

The good news is that Gods grace is sufficient for us even though satan accuses us day and night.

It makes us rely upon God completely and trusting only in His righteousness, and not our own. 

Man says, I can overcome, Jesus says, without me you can do nothing.

June 27 2015 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Veronica Ryabchuk Supporter

My opinion is that humble means having or showing a modest or low estimate of one's own importance or lower (someone) in dignity or importance.

March 24 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

curtis godwin Supporter

Psalm 147:6: The lord lifts up the humble; he casts the wicked down to the ground.

March 25 2014 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jeffrey Johnson Supporter

What does it mean to be humble?

There was never a more humble man that walked the earth than Jesus himself. If we imitate him, then we become humble. That is what it means to be humble.

Being humble means having a modest view of one's own importance, achievements, and abilities, and avoiding arrogance or pride. It involves recognising personal limitations, being open to feedback, and valuing others equally. 

A genuinely humble person focuses on others rather than self-promotion. 

Recognising one's strengths and weaknesses without conceit or low self-esteem.

Treating others with dignity and not acting superior.

Being willing to learn, accept feedback, and admit when you are wrong.

Not bragging about accomplishments or seeking constant recognition.

Remaining humble regardless of success or high status. 

A leader who takes responsibility for a failure instead of blaming their team.

A successful professional who acknowledges the help they received from mentors and colleagues.

A high-ranking person performing a "menial" task, such as a CEO cleaning up a mess in the office kitchen. [Example: when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples the night before he died.]

A person who is highly skilled but doesn't feel the need to boast about their accomplishments. 

Being humble is the opposite of being proud. A humble person does not have an inflated opinion of himself. He is not overly assertive in manner or spirit. He is moderate, not presuming too much, not being vain or conceited. He is kind and mild-tempered.

Note these four examples of humility that we do well to imitate: 
(1) God, who certainly was humble when dealing with Abraham and Moses (Genesis 18:22-33; Numbers 14:11-21; Ephesians 5:1); 

(2) Jesus Christ, who humbled himself and became obedient as far as death (Philippians 2:5-8; 1 Peter 2:21); 

(3) The apostle Paul, who 'slaved for the Lord with the greatest lowliness of mind’ (Acts 20:18, 19; 1 Corinthians 11:1); and 

(4) 'those taking the lead among you'.

Then the example of "Naaman, who led the Syrians to victory."

Just think too what it must have taken for a man in his position to do what he did. He not only took the word of a little slave girl from an enemy nation, but he had to leave his own gods behind, perhaps thinking he would be risking their displeasure, and go to a country at enmity with his and ask a prophet of a strange God to do something for him. Naaman's becoming humble meant something of greater worth to him than being cleansed of leprosy. What was that? It led him to become a man seeking the approval of the one true God. 

By showing humility, the Syrian army chief Naaman was miraculously cured of leprosy.

Like Naaman, we can profit spiritually immeasurably if we 'wrap ourselves in the garment of humility' and realise that God favours the humble.​—1 Pet. 5:5, New English Bible.

Whereas Gehazi, who was Elisha's servant, lost his health and his privilege of serving with Elisha because he was covered with Naaman's leprosy, because he was not humble. Read 2nd Kings Chapter 5. There, we learn of an individual in ancient times who developed humility. By reading and analysing the account, we can personally derive benefit as we each seek to gird ourselves with lowliness of mind.

February 04 2026 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Jack Gutknecht Supporter Arizona Bible College & Dallas Seminary graduate, Pentair

Good question, Kathlelen! To be humble means to recognize your total dependence on God, to follow Christ's example of serving others, and to trust God to lift you up--rather than trying to lift yourself.

According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, humility is a prominent Christian grace and a state of mind that pleases God, grounded in the recognition that we have nothing of our own to boast about and that everything comes from Him (Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 3:5-7). The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia adds that it is an essential characteristic of true piety, summed up perfectly in Micah 6:8 as walking humbly with your God. Jesus Himself described it as being "poor in spirit" (Matthew 5:3), which simply means acknowledging our total spiritual need for God rather than relying on our own strength or righteousness.

This humble attitude brings rich blessings. Easton's Bible Dictionary notes that humility preserves the soul in tranquility (Psalm 69:32-33) and makes us patient under trials (Job 1:22). Nave's Topical Bible highlights the great paradox of Christianity: humility is the avenue to glory, for God exalts the humble while He brings down the proud (Proverbs 16:18; Matthew 23:12; Luke 14:11; 18:14). Moreover, God specifically dwells with the humble and gives grace to them, as seen in Isaiah 57:15, Isaiah 66:2, and 1 Peter 5:5. The humble heart is the very place where the high and lofty One chooses to make His home.

The supreme example of humility is found in Jesus Christ. Easton's Bible Dictionary points to Philippians 2:6-8, where Christ, though He was in the form of God, emptied Himself and took the form of a servant, becoming obedient to death on a cross. The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia further emphasizes that Jesus lived this out practically by washing His disciples' feet (John 13:1-17), teaching that true greatness comes through serving others. He also described Himself as "gentle and lowly in heart" (Matthew 11:29), providing a perfect model for every believer to imitate.

What leads us to this humble posture? Easton's Bible Dictionary reminds us that a remembrance of our sins keeps us from looking down on others (Lamentations 3:39 -- "Why should any living person complain when punished for his sins?" I.e., the point of this verse is that the punishment of sin can sometimes lead to death; therefore, any one who is being punished by God for his sins, and yet lives, has little to complain about.). When we compare ourselves to God's holiness, we naturally realize that we are but dust, as Jacob and Job confessed (Genesis 18:27; Job 42:5-6). Nave's Topical Bible lists numerous biblical figures who exemplified this attitude, including Moses, who said he was slow of speech (Exodus 4:10); David, who asked, "Who am I, O Lord God?" (2 Samuel 7:18); John the Baptist, who declared, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30); and Paul, who called himself the foremost of sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). Even Peter and Cornelius fell at the feet of others, recognizing their own lowliness (Luke 5:8; Acts 10:33).

However, the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia gives a crucial warning about false humility. Paul cautions against a self-sought, voluntary humility that acts lowly just to appear spiritual (Colossians 2:18, 23). True humility is not self-focused; we should not be proud of being humble, because the moment we think less of ourselves in order to be thought great, we have lost the essence of it. Genuine humility simply means we do not think of self at all, but fix our eyes on God and others. 

Sources: Easton's Bible Dictionary (EBD), Nave's Topical Bible (NAVE), and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) via classic.net.bible.org. Scripture cross-referencing and verse lookup via BibleHub. AI-assisted synthesis and structuring via chat.deepseek.com.

2 days ago • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report