by Humility is the mother of giants. One sees great things from the valley; only small things from the peak. If a man would make his world large, he must be always making himself small. It is impossible without humility to enjoy anything – even pride. It is always the secure who are humble. The real great man is the man who makes every man feel great.
G.K. Chesterton
Pride is the root of all sin. And it’s ever-elusive. Its opposite virtue, humility, is likewise elusive because pride so often hides inside it, contaminating its virtue: “My best trait is my humility!”
If you try to manufacture humility, you’ll probably ruin it. It’s best attained by focusing on something else, and here G.K. Chesterton is a trove of wisdom.
Be careful not to misunderstand this quote. When Chesterton speaks of a man making himself small, he’s not talking about self-deprecation. He’s talking about a mindset that relentlessly seeks and recognizes the image of God in the other–who is determined to find gratitude and wonder in an age of competitive cynicism. And when Chesterton says the humble man makes others feel great he’s not talking about flattery, he’s talking about profound empathy and care.
I’m truly blessed to know some friends who are humble. The most obvious thing about them is how interested they are in others. How content and confident they seem in their sense of self. And how grateful they are for all of life–especially the things most people are taking for granted.If you desire to be humble, work first on gratitude.