Day 173 – Humility

Today’s most popular social media influencers are Cristiano Ronaldo, Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, and Selena Gomez. I looked at how many followers they each have on the various platforms. After adding them all up, it is interesting to note that if you combined all of their followers on all the social platforms, they would not have exceeded the number of people who say they “follow” Jesus. So yes, as of the writing of this article, Jesus remains the top influencer in the world. Happy Easter.

Easter Reflections: Lessons from Jesus

Since today is Easter, I thought I would spend a few moments this morning and think about the most significant lessons I have learned from this great teacher, Jesus the Christ. With all the religious simulacra, it is difficult to see past that and realize that Jesus was a man who was barely more than a day laborer in the construction trade who started his traveling ministry when he was about 30 years old. He would walk the 80-mile trek from Northern Israel to the City of Jerusalem three or four times before he would eventually be put to death by order of the Roman prefect of the Judean province.

A Journey of Humility and Influence

Three years. He wanders around villages and towns, teaches people, and directs most of his lessons at the poor, outcast, sick, and downtrodden. There have been many religious and political leaders throughout the world’s history. However, one of the most influential was undoubtedly Jesus. This makes you wonder what is so powerful about this teaching that it would effectively alter the course of humanity for years to come. What was being taught that would cause hundreds, then thousands, then millions, and then billions to follow him, worship him, and build churches and religions in his name?

The Power of Humility in Jesus’ Teachings

This is where I get into trouble. There are probably just as many opinions on this subject as there are Christians. What core teaching from Jesus has been so attractive for such a long period of time? I thought about it for a while, considering this question. It is difficult to narrow it down to just one, but if I had to pick, I would use one word:

Humility.

Throughout Jesus’ teaching, there is always an undercurrent of practicing restraint and holding one’s ego in check. He taught that people should pray in secret rather than openly. He taught that those who seek the praise of others will have their reward. However, for those who do good secretly, God will reward them openly. He repeated a few times that those that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first. There are many poignant moments in the New Testament where we are told of moments where Jesus would speak and minister to the less fortunate, encouraging people to care for those who had less than them. He taught us to look for lost souls and celebrate when they return. He taught us to be meek and lowly of heart. We should give all credit to God and reserve nothing for ourselves. We should not think about what we should wear but care only about what we can do to help others. To be as little children. In essence, the core, the power behind all of the teachings, is one of humility.

The Challenge of Embracing True Humility

This is not what we want to hear, as humility requires us to make choices we may not like. We are fond of the accolades, the praise, and the likes. We do not want to give up our precious things, beautiful garments, fast cars, and mansions. We want to be seen as doing all the right things, but in secret, we do only what benefits us. So, when we read the teachings of Jesus, we skim over the many passages that remind us to be humble, forgiving, and love our neighbor as ourselves.

Humility Across Faiths: A Universal Virtue

One particular passage I recall is when Jesus gathered some of his followers while traveling through a small village. He decided to tell them a story of two men who would come to the temple to pray. The first was a spiritual leader known as a Pharisee. The second was the most despised man, who collected taxes for the Romans, known as a Publican. Jesus said that these two men would say a prayer in their hearts as they entered the temple. The Pharisee would thank God that he was not like these other sinners. He would inform God of all the great things that he was doing, paying money to the Church and fasting often. He was not unjust. He did not bribe or steal. He did not commit adultery like that awful man standing in the back, this publican.

Jesus recounted that the publican also said a prayer in his heart. He would stand in the back of the temple, head hanging low. He would pray by himself, quietly hitting himself in the chest in anguish for his wrongdoing. He would not even look toward heaven or anyone else; he would just pray and ask God to forgive him. Jesus taught that it would be this man, this publican, who would be justified before God. He said that only those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Come to think of it, Jesus is not alone in this powerful concept. The leaders of other major religions also teach this same precept. Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam, taught that all are equal before God and that we should lead simple lives, serve and help others, acknowledge our mistakes, and keep our prayers full of humility. Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, also taught that we should not elevate this concept of self above others; we should avoid extremes, respect all life, always be in the service of others, and recognize our ignorance. If you dive into the writings of Hindu teachers, you will find the same. Swami Vivekananda taught that we should acknowledge our own limitations. We should put our egos aside, be simple, and learn from everyone. He also taught me the value of serving others. This theme is consistent across all the major religions.

Perhaps God is trying to tell us something? Be Humble. Practice Humility.