The Fight for Humility

With over 25 years leading a workplace ministry, I’ve had the honor of serving some of the smartest, most talented, and wealthiest workplace leaders in our community. Anyone who serves a specific population for that long is bound to notice patterns or common threads among their behaviors and thought patterns. I find that those patterns most often reflect or reveal Biblical principles.

When it comes to success of any kind, it seems that the greater the success, the greater the need to strive for humility. As our status rises, our natural drift tends to be toward a sense of privilege or entitlement. We may decide that we deserve to stay home from the battle as King David did; or we may drift the route of the ultra-successful King Uzziah of whom it was said, “his fame spread far, for he was marvelously helped, till he was strong. But when he was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction” (2 Chronicles 26:15-16).

If the growth of one’s success outpaces the growth of one’s humility, we’re bound to fall into the traps of King David or Uzziah. We must fight for humility, for few leaders will drift toward humility without significant effort.

But how does one fight for humility?

We ask lots of questions. We listen to those “below” us. We strive to be teachable. We often dare to be beginners at something. We seek accountability, especially when we lean toward defensiveness or toward critiquing how others challenge us while we avoid the content of their challenges.

Too many successful leaders are more teachable in theory than reality. We ask questions and speak the language of humility, though we don’t listen to what others say. Our egos prepare our responses while others are offering us insights because we don’t really value their feedback. We speak the language of serving others as we position ourselves to be served.

Focusing on consistently and authentically expressing gratitude is another strategy embraced by those fighting for humility. Authentic gratitude leaves little space for pride to take root.

Why is fighting for humility so crucial for believers?

Because it’s the fight for humility that most reveals who we are seeking to glorify.