In a world that often champions self-promotion and achievement, the virtue of humility can feel like a fading whisper. Yet, as Richard Foster, renowned author and spiritual thinker, explores in his latest book, Learning Humility, this “vanishing value” holds profound power for personal and spiritual growth. Inspired by Christian tradition and the wisdom of the Lakota people, Foster invites us to rediscover humility, not as weakness, but as a source of strength, integrity, and deep connection.
Discover Richard Foster’s insightful exploration of humility in Learning Humility
The Enduring Strength of Humility: Fortitude and Inner Peace
Drawing from the Lakota virtue of Cantewasake, meaning fortitude, we begin to understand humility’s robust nature. Cantewasake is described as the strength gained after cultivating patience and inner endurance – qualities that resonate deeply with the journey of humility. Emotional stability, alertness, and determination are seen as integral to this persistent integrity.
This echoes the teachings of James 1:2-4, which speaks of trials producing endurance, leading to maturity and completeness. Endurance, fortitude, and humility are intertwined, each reinforcing the other in a cycle of growth. Exploring this relationship reveals humility not as passivity, but as an active, resilient force.
Humility and Obedience: A Twin Birth in the Heart
Thomas Kelly, in Testament of Devotion, beautifully articulates the inseparable link between humility and holiness, stating they are “twins in the astonishing birth of obedience in the heart.” This powerful image suggests that a humble heart and a pure life are not merely related, but are co-creators of obedience to God. As we delve deeper into humility, we begin to see it as the fertile ground from which genuine obedience springs, a willing surrender to a higher purpose.
Finding Humility in the Textures of Everyday Life
Nature often provides profound lessons in humility. A quiet hike in a canyon, where the landscape shifts into muted browns preparing for winter, can be a powerful experience. The silence, broken only by the sounds of nature, draws us closer to the earth, reminding us of our place within a larger ecosystem. The word “humility” itself shares roots with “humus,” the earth. These moments of quiet contemplation in nature offer tangible “texture and feeling tones” to the abstract concept of humility, grounding it in our lived experience.
Humility in the Small Corners of Life: Patience and Presence
It is often in the seemingly insignificant moments of daily life that humility is truly tested and cultivated. Waiting at a medical appointment, experiencing technological frustrations at a pharmacy, or encountering unexpected traffic delays – these “small corners” present opportunities to practice humility.
The key lies in our response to these situations. Do we react with impatience and frustration, or can we embrace “patient waiting”? Choosing patience, orienting ourselves towards a humble spirit in these minor inconveniences, transforms them into moments of spiritual exercise. Learning to navigate these everyday challenges with grace and equanimity is a practical expression of humility in action.
Tending the Fire of the Soul: A Consistent Practice
Just as a fire needs constant tending to provide warmth and light, so too does our soul require consistent nurturing to maintain the flame of humility. Recalling childhood memories of tending a fireplace through long winter nights serves as a potent metaphor. Humility is not a one-time achievement, but an ongoing practice, a daily tending to the inner fire of our soul, ensuring it remains alight with grace and openness.
The Voice of the True Shepherd: Humility and Divine Guidance
Returning to the wisdom of John Woolman, the Quaker journal keeper, we find a connection between humility and attentiveness to divine guidance. Woolman observed that a humble person, content with little, could focus on what truly mattered: “steady attention to the voice of the true Shepherd.” He recognized that the pursuit of greatness and wealth often distracts from this essential listening. Humility, therefore, becomes a prerequisite for hearing and heeding the still, small voice of divine wisdom in our lives.
The Wise Apostle Paul: A Tapestry of Humility
The Apostle Paul’s writings are replete with calls to humility, forming a “rat-a-tat-tat of concern” for this vital virtue. Romans 12:10 urges us to “outdo one another in showing honor,” while Philippians 2:3 counsels us to “in humility regard others as better than yourselves.” Colossians 3:12 encourages us to “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”
Paul’s teachings culminate in his profound exposition on agape love in 1 Corinthians 13, where humility is woven into the very fabric of love itself. Love is patient, kind, not arrogant or boastful – qualities that directly reflect a humble spirit. Paul’s own dramatic transformation, his encounter with Christ, and his years of service underscore the life-altering power of embracing humility.
The Ecumenical Spirit of Humility: Learning from Diverse Voices
Andrew Murray, in his classic book Humility, demonstrates a remarkable ecumenical spirit by drawing wisdom from a wide range of Christian traditions, including Roman Catholic mystics. He quotes figures like Thomas Aquinas, Thomas à Kempis, Bernard of Clairvaux, and Augustine of Hippo, highlighting the universal importance of humility across Christian history.
This inclusiveness underscores that humility transcends denominational boundaries. Murray’s willingness to learn from diverse voices serves as a powerful example of humility in practice, recognizing wisdom wherever it may be found.
Humility as the Root of Virtue: A Foundation for Growth
Murray powerfully asserts that “humility is the only soil in which virtue takes root…it is the root of all.” He laments the Church’s insufficient emphasis on humility, noting that its “true nature and importance have been too little apprehended.” Murray’s own journey involved a realization that humility and meekness are not optional extras, but “the distinguishing feature of the disciple,” mirroring the character of Christ.
Acknowledging pride as the primary obstacle, Murray emphasizes the need for “determined and persevering waiting on God” to reveal our lack of humility and to receive this transformative grace. Studying the character of Christ, particularly his lowliness, becomes essential in cultivating humility.
Satan at the Headwaters of Pride: Recognizing the True Enemy
Murray identifies pride as the great adversary of humility, even suggesting that “Satan is at the headwaters of pride.” Quoting Jonathan Edwards, he notes that “Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility.” This perspective highlights the spiritual warfare dimension of humility, recognizing pride as a tool of spiritual opposition. Cultivating humility, therefore, becomes an act of resistance against pride and its destructive influence.
The Best of All Graces: Humility’s Supreme Value
Murray laments the Church’s failure to adequately teach the importance of humility, calling it “the first of the virtues, the best of all the graces.” This observation resonates even more strongly today, in a culture that often undervalues humility. Pastors may find it challenging to preach on humility, and examples of humble living may be scarce. This underscores the urgent need to rediscover and prioritize humility in our personal and collective spiritual lives.
An Experimental Prayer for Humility: A Path Forward
Murray concludes with a powerful “infallible touchstone” for cultivating humility: a month-long retreat focused solely on prayer for humility. While a month-long retreat may be challenging, his prayer provides a potent starting point: “that of His great goodness He would make known to you, and take from your heart every kind and form and degree of pride…and that He would awaken in you the deepest depth and truth of that humility which can make you capable of His light and Holy Spirit.” This prayer encapsulates the essence of the journey towards Learning Humility.
A Simple Prayer for Transformation: Heart, Mind, Imagination, Soul
Foster shares a simple yet profound prayer that encapsulates the holistic transformation fostered by humility:
Loving Lord Jesus, I humbly ask that you would…
Purify my heart,
Renew my mind,
Sanctify my imagination, and
Enlarge my soul.
Amen.
This prayer serves as a daily invocation, guiding us towards inner transformation through humility.
The Human and Divine Sides of Humility: A Collaborative Journey
Reflecting on this prayer, Foster discerns both human and divine aspects in the process of learning humility. On the human side, it involves intentional actions: considering Christ’s sacrifice for heart purity, focusing on virtuous thoughts for a renewed mind, picturing the new heaven and earth for a sanctified imagination, and seeking opportunities for service to enlarge the soul.
On the divine side, we recognize that true transformation is God’s work: purifying the heart, renewing the mind, sanctifying the imagination, and enlarging the soul. This collaborative journey acknowledges our active role in seeking humility while ultimately depending on God’s grace for transformative power. We are reminded that God is “quick to forgive, eager to heal, glad to restore,” offering constant encouragement on the path of learning humility.
Learning humility is not a passive endeavor, but an active, lifelong journey of self-discovery, spiritual growth, and transformative encounter with the Divine. It is in embracing this “vanishing value” that we unlock true strength, serenity, and a deeper connection with ourselves, others, and God.
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Adapted from Learning Humility by Richard J. Foster. Copyright © 2022 by Richard J. Foster, LLC. Used by permission of InterVarsity Press. www.ivpress.com
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Text First Published December 2022 · Last Featured on Renovare.org December 2022
