| *
I*ve noticed that many are confusing Humility with Insecurity.
WHAT*S THE DIFFERENCE between the two,
since BOTH of these traits USE SELF-CRITICAL LANGUAGE??
Well, I*ll quote someone: Saint Teresa said that Humility is TRUTH. You are humble when you speak the truth at all times and tell others what you honestly think of yourself, without embellishment or the exaggeration of a self-effacing statement.
I always give this EXAMPLE (Based on the teaching of Saint Teresa of Avila) (She*s really so funny, by the way...just a bit of info on her):
Let*s suppose you were born a genius. From the hospital itself, during your wellness visits to the pediatrician, the nurses are beside themselves talking to a three-month old baby who utters scientific facts right infront of them.
Then you go to school and the teachers suspect you*re some kind of a genius. At age ten, the day had at last arrived for your IQ to be tested. Your test results indicate that you*re indeed at the Genius level.
People would then ask you how you fared in the IQ test. You don*t want to sound arrogant. So will you say, "Well the test results said I was at the Moron level." Or "The test indicated I was at the Average level." Or , "The tests actually said I was at the Superior level/Above Average level/Brilliant level/Idiot level."
If you said any of these things, when the truth was that you tested out to be at the Genius level, then Saint Teresa said you would then be a LIAR.
Is being a liar good?? BUT...you would say, "I don*t want to sound arrogant and smug and boastful!"
You would probably just change the subject to avoid being criticized as boastful. But why wouldn*t you want to be criticized? I thought you were humble. Not wanting to be criticized is a sign of Pride, NOT Humility.
WHAT IF you actually said the truth: "I tested out at the Genius level." Is THAT automatically boastful? Just because people might envy you does not mean you were boastful. Their bad feelings of envy are their problem, not yours. You were telling the truth.
You just REFUSED TO BE A LIAR and you refused to be fearful of what other people might say. You DON*T CARE IF THEY PREFER for you to have been a liar instead, so they would feel good about themselves and feed their own selfishness. You choose to be who you are, to be true and genuine; you mold your own character. Other people have no right to choose to mold your character according to their own comfort level. Humility indeed requires bravery.
Some people are shocked when they hear this teaching for the first time...that Humility is TRUTH, that Humility ALWAYS has the quality of truth within it and not lies. You risk being criticized, you risk being attacked, when you are truly humble!
WHAT ABOUT THE OPPOSITE? What if there was a great singer who was always saying, "I don*t really sing that well"??? What if, out of a grave insecurity, this person just WANTED people to disagree with her, so that she could trick them into praising her?? "Oh no, don*t say that...you*re such a great singer!!!" There is no truth to what she*s saying because she sings better than anyone she knows.
What do we call that bit of trickery/dishonesty/falsehood? We call it Pride, the OPPOSITE of Humility!
At this point my enemies are QUICK to point out a question (and I will answer it briefly although I have another post about it): How comes it (olde English) that you always say you*re not beautiful, when the guys say you ARE?? Are you wishing to be repeatedly praised????? HMMM???????????????????????????????????
Okay, I*ll satisfy your curiosity.
(Part 2 is on the next post)
|
| Recently Spotted MembersNo members found. Be the first. |
