The Power of Humility

nimblewolf11 said:Honestly? It’s nothing more than an illusion—just a version of reality that *feels* true, but isn't.

Within that understanding, there lies a massive, infinite, and truly indescribable love... so much so that even the word "humility" loses its meaning... because once we melt into that Unity and bliss, only Unity remains.

Pure sentimentality.

You could say that about any "reality." Truth is subjective, and a person's relationship with God is deeply personal—there's nothing pathetic about it.

Basically, nobody needs to look down on anyone else, nor should they feel inferior. Even your connection with God should be based on Oneness...
If that's how you look at it, then any kind of humility is just fake, masking actual fear.

Such a beautiful topic 🙂

Do you actually live out the things you notice (or judge) in others?
In other words, are you practicing the insights you’ve gained, or are they just mental conclusions?
Do these observations of others help you or hurt you? Are you using their flaws to lift yourself above them, or are you truly becoming aware of what you've seen?

P.S. The Bible is written symbolically, through parables.
It isn't meant to be taken literally, despite how it might seem.

Humility isn't about being a doormat or sucking up to people, as someone else mentioned earlier.

True humility is a state of mind where we don't try to place ourselves above others or above God.
We face these little tests every single day, in every interaction we have—including this one right here online.

Alright, so we’re clearly not seeing eye to eye on what actually counts as humility.
Mother Teresa had her own internal battles with all that, sure, but she made the call to stay loyal to the Church and its leadership. I mean, maybe she should've gone rogue—and honestly, people say she thought about it—but she stuck by the hierarchy anyway. She was out there scraping by on tiny donations, barely pulling enough together just to put food on the table.
Who do you think actually fits the bill when it comes to being humble among famous people?
Can we at least agree on Einstein?

Mark Torres14 said:If you ask me, humility is just a mask for frustration—it’s what people lean on when they feel worthless. The only exception is when someone acts humble just to score points later. But let's call that what it actually is: being manipulative, not humble.
Neither Jesus, nor Gandhi, nor Mother Teresa ever played the "humble" card with people they considered weaker than themselves. Far from it.

That was their whole purpose in life—even if it's a stretch to apply it to a Messiah, he was still a man before the resurrection... basically, once they truly grasped the nature of reality, life, themselves, how fleeting everything is, and how time just grinds us all down.
They chose serving people as their core mission. (It’s a heavy responsibility—it really comes down to an inevitable reversal, being counter-cultural against everything else.)

Sure, you can live without all that—just head out into the wilderness and do your own thing.

Realizing who you are means being a soul (which is also a way of saying "being"... kind of like when you're asleep and don't give a damn about spirituality). It’s still a sort of ego/role, I guess, but since they actually understand the facts of life and how the world works... there's no need to fake it or lie to others just to chase fame.
Of course, if you're one of those hardcore rationalists who refuses to believe in anything beyond what you can touch (since you have zero proof for that, too), then sure... it's all just a role to you.

Discussions regarding Gandhi and Mother Teresa have been moved over to the Religion section, where they’ll likely be merged into existing threads. Sorry for the messy breakup of the posts; things were getting a bit too cluttered for me to perform a clean cut without making a mess.

You can pick up the conversation about various topics right here:

Mother Teresa
Gandhi

Humility is about being open, not getting stuck in some rigid little pattern and clinging to it like a drunkard clings to a lamp post.

The people who go to extremes are usually the ones bragging about a version of humility that’s nothing more than being backed up. They get stuck, they refuse to let anything out, and then they stubbornly insist on staying that way. Worst of all? They actually enjoy the pain. They turn being constipated into some kind of spiritual art form, thinking the longer they suffer through that self-imposed blockage, the better they are.

Look, at the end of the day, I don't think anyone should—or even *can*—force themselves to be humble. True humility isn't some act you put on; it’s what happens naturally when we're actually doing well, feeling content, and genuinely grateful. When you feel like life has actually been kind to you and you're just enjoying the ride, humility follows suit—it's automatic. You lose that desperate, pathetic need to step on other people just to boost your own ego or "win" an argument to salvage some bruised self-esteem. When you're truly happy, you can give freely without expecting a damn thing in return.

Oh, boy, no 😁
The way you wrote that doesn't really come across as humble at all... 🤦

Explain!

Just slapping a "facepalm" emoji on a post and claiming something isn't true helps absolutely nobody—it’s just noise. Do us all a favor and actually explain yourself—enlighten the uneducated masses for once...

Elizabeth Castillo87 said:So, what’s the deal with humility? I mean, where does it actually show up in the Gospels? Aside from when Jesus was washing the disciples' feet or basically handing himself over to be executed, where's the humility? Most of the time, he was busy teaching about love or healing people, sure, but let's be real—he was throwing threats around too. Since when does pulling off miracles count as being humble, right?
And where exactly did Muhammad show humility?
Where was Buddha being humble?
Sometimes I get this nagging feeling that "humility" is just an expectation placed on followers, especially women. I mean, look at Mary. The Gospels make it clear that while the apostles were busy scattering in every direction to save their own skins, it was the women who stayed by Jesus' side at the cross. You want to call that humility? Or is it something else?

Humility isn't spirituality; spirit equals consciousness, so spirituality equals consciousness.

Modesty arrives naturally as a byproduct of spirituality and consciousness, whereas humility feels more like a form of masochism.

northernwolf0 said:Humility isn't spirituality; spirit equals consciousness, so spirituality equals consciousness.

Modesty arrives naturally as a byproduct of spirituality and consciousness, whereas humility feels more like a form of masochism.

"Strength fuels humility, whereas modesty often masks weakness. Only someone who is truly great can be genuinely humble.

When a person acknowledges their true greatness—knowing it for a fact—that recognition is itself an act of humility. They accept their greatness as something completely natural, simply expressing what they actually are, much like a person wouldn't hesitate to admit they are human.

If a truly great person, fully aware of their stature, were to deny that greatness, they would actually be diminishing who they really are. This is because modesty is built on pretense, while true greatness requires no mask.

On the flip side, when someone claims greatness they don't actually possess, they are the ultimate hypocrite.

An honest person is one who, knowing they aren't great, firmly and sincerely admits it.

It’s common to find people who lack greatness yet pretend to be humble while secretly believing they are highly valuable. Through both words and actions, they constantly perform this humility, claiming to be "servants of humanity."

Real humility isn't achieved by putting on a costume of lowliness. True humility flows spontaneously and continuously from the strength of true greatness. Announcing your own humility doesn't make you humble. No matter how many times a parrot repeats, 'I am a man,' it will never become one.

It is better to lack greatness than to manufacture a false sense of it by adopting humility. These attempts to act humble don't show strength; instead, they reflect a modesty born of weakness and a fundamental misunderstanding of reality.

Beware of modesty. Under the cloak of humility, it inevitably leads a person into the trap of self-deception. Modesty breeds egoism, and eventually, a person practicing fake humility will be overtaken by pride.

The greatest greatness and the greatest humility go hand in hand, occurring naturally and without effort."

~ Meher Baba

northernwolf0 said:Humility isn't spirituality; spirit equals consciousness, so spirituality equals consciousness.

Modesty arrives naturally as a byproduct of spirituality and consciousness, whereas humility feels more like a form of masochism.

Look, consciousness is just one piece of the mind. Spirit—or spirituality—is something way bigger than the mind and all its little parts.
Spirit isn't easy to pin down, but if you want a term that gets close, maybe "culture" would work.
But here’s the thing—unlike culture, which is mostly just a passive byproduct of human biology, spirit actually has its own internal logic. Once it's formed, it becomes this solid, consistent thing with its own guiding idea—maybe even a will of its own. It works with us, sure, but it's also an independent entity that functions regardless of us, sometimes even steering us toward intentions we can't quite grasp.
Culture basically just reflects what a person takes in, while spirit actually shapes it creatively, working right alongside our very essence.

People tend to confuse true humility with absolute, mindless obedience to human authorities or worldly standards. Whether those standards are genuine or completely manufactured—they're wrong.
It usually stems from a deep-seated sense of inferiority, where someone feels everyone else is inherently better than them based on whatever metrics the world prizes. It’s entirely unnecessary.
There are actually several different flavors of fake humility.
Most people link humility to false modesty, self-deprecation, or dodging responsibility altogether—the kind of attitude where one says, "Only God can save me, I'm a nobody, so I'll just sit here and wait for Him to handle everything." They pair this with various forms of renunciation (usually useless ones) and a specific type of self-loathing that ends up belittling both themselves and everyone else.
There is nothing more arrogant than false modesty or the notion that living in poverty or being submissive to worldly standards is a sign of being humble.
The same goes for those who act "humble" in the face of wealth, money, or someone else's status and success; more often than not, that person is just living in a state of fear and insecurity.

Someone who is truly, lovingly humble before God is never pathologically submissive toward people. Those who are constantly bowing down to others don't actually love themselves; it's usually just a form of passive aggression or a desperate fear of being judged by others. It's an inferiority complex, plain and simple.

That isn't humility.
I believe Jesus demonstrated profound love and humility toward God, but he never debased himself just to please the people or the authorities of his era. He didn't lie about who He was under the guise of being "humble" before authority. He lacked that desperate need to be liked because he wasn't driven by an inferiority complex or fear. He didn't play the crowd because his ego wasn't in the driver's seat, so there was no need to seek universal approval. Instead, Jesus showed love for humanity and compassion for our weaknesses, illustrating what the kingdom of God actually looks like. His own followers didn't quite grasp that the world changes when the heart changes—that the kingdom of God needs to take root in the human heart first. That's a different matter entirely. At least, that's my take on it.
He didn't bow down to false idols, nor to arbitrary rules or social constructs. Ideas and regulations were never placed above the human being; he understood the human soul deeply. Social norms and laws weren't his ultimate authority—God and the goodness of man were. That is the subtle distinction that defines a truly wise person.😉

Elizabeth Castillo87 said:Yeah, but honestly, every single religious leader I’ve ever come across—and I mean everyone from the local preacher to those high-priced gurus out in California—doesn't actually promote that sense of Unity. Instead, they just sit there letting people shower them with gold and expensive gifts.

A classic example would be Osho and his fleet of 100 Rolls-Royces. Though, if you think about it, he seemed to mock those extravagant gifts more than he actually took pride in being pampered by his followers.

Elizabeth Castillo87 said:So, what’s the deal with humility? I mean, where does it actually show up in the Gospels? Aside from when Jesus was washing the disciples' feet or basically handing himself over to be executed, where's the humility? Most of the time, he was busy teaching about love or healing people, sure, but let's be real—he was throwing threats around too. Since when does pulling off miracles count as being humble, right?
And where exactly did Muhammad show humility?
Where was Buddha being humble?
Sometimes I get this nagging feeling that "humility" is just an expectation placed on followers, especially women. I mean, look at Mary. The Gospels make it clear that while the apostles were busy scattering in every direction to save their own skins, it was the women who stayed by Jesus' side at the cross. You want to call that humility? Or is it something else?

Well, Jesus showed humility toward God first,
then he showed it to his apostles, his followers, and honestly anyone who sought Him out with an open, sincere heart.

(And let's not forget—he was totally authoritative with the devil when he was being tempted in the desert, just telling him exactly what to do.)

It's the same deal for believers—exactly that.

That's really the core teaching right there.

Plus, you've got love, gentleness, and forgiving your brothers and sisters in Christ—that deep, almost automatic love for the Church, since they *are* the Church. I mean, it's pretty clear: if you love or respect God, you respect the Church too.

Check this out regarding how we should treat others in the faith (the so-called Church):

Epistle to the Colossians 3:12,13

12 So, as God's chosen people—holy and dearly loved—clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you!

or right here

Epistle to the Philippians 2

Unity through Humility

2 So, if there’s any encouragement you get from being in Christ, any comfort found in His love, any fellowship in the Spirit, or any genuine warmth and compassion—2 then please, do me a huge favor and make my joy complete by staying in sync. Let's have that same love, being totally unified and on the same page. 3 Don't do anything out of pure selfishness or just to chase some empty glory, okay? Instead, approach everything with humility, looking at others as being even more important than yourselves. 4 Don't just obsess over your own stuff, but actually pay attention to what everyone else needs, too. 5
Try to have the exact same mindset that Jesus Christ had.
6 Even though He was in the very likeness of God,
He didn't cling to being equal with God
as something to be grabbed onto,
7 but instead, He let it go,
taking on the role of a servant
and becoming just like us.
When people saw Him, they saw a man,
8 so He humbled Himself completely,
becoming obedient all the way to death—
and yeah, that meant death on a cross.
9 That’s why God raised Him up
and gave Him the name
that’s above every other name,
10 so that at the name of Jesus,
every single knee will bow
in heaven, on earth, and under the earth,
11 and every tongue will confess:
"Lord is Jesus Christ!"
—all for the glory of God the Father.

God's children—shining lights in the world

12 So, my dear ones, just like you’ve always been so faithful—not just when I'm standing right there, but even more so now that I'm gone—keep working on your salvation with a sense of awe and reverence. 13 After all, it's God who's working inside you, giving you both the desire and the power to make it happen. 14 Just do everything without complaining or arguing, 15 so you can be blameless and pure—real children of God, without a flaw, shining like bright lights in the middle of this twisted and crooked generation. 16 Just hold tight to the word of life, so I can truly say I didn't run my race for nothing or work myself to the bone in vain. 17 But hey, even if I am being poured out like a drink offering for your faith, I'm genuinely happy about it, and I'm celebrating right along with you. 18 You guys should do the same—just be joyful and celebrate with me.
.................................................. ................................................

Humility versus pride—where pride (before God) is basically a guaranteed sign that your soul is headed for a crash.

That's basically Christianity in a nutshell...

Daniel Davis40 said:Look, at the end of the day, I don't think anyone should—or even *can*—force themselves to be humble. True humility isn't some act you put on; it’s what happens naturally when we're actually doing well, feeling content, and genuinely grateful. When you feel like life has actually been kind to you and you're just enjoying the ride, humility follows suit—it's automatic. You lose that desperate, pathetic need to step on other people just to boost your own ego or "win" an argument to salvage some bruised self-esteem. When you're truly happy, you can give freely without expecting a damn thing in return.

Yeah, totally—humility is really just a byproduct of love.

When you're actually aiming for that, when you're living out love, everything else just falls into place on its own.

Kindness, forgiveness, patience, letting go... it all basically boils down to one word: humility.

Love is the actual goal. Once you have that and you're living it? Everything else just sorts itself out naturally.

In that spiritual sense, you know?

(Because if 'humility' isn't coming from a place of love, it just looks like empty flattery—and that's definitely not what Jesus was teaching us.)

Daniel Davis40 said:Explain!

Just slapping a "facepalm" emoji on a post and claiming something isn't true helps absolutely nobody—it’s just noise. Do us all a favor and actually explain yourself—enlighten the uneducated masses for once...

I'm not sure what there is to explain. When everything is going great—we're happy, grateful, just soaking up life and feeling like the world is finally being kind to us—that's not humility. It's just pure satisfaction from hitting the jackpot. Not needing to step on others to feel better because we already feel whole... that’s just a byproduct of being in a good place.

So, based on what you wrote—it's basically saying when things are perfect, we can give freely without asking for anything back, which looks like humility, but it’s actually situational. As soon as the rug gets pulled out from under you, that "humility" disappears, and suddenly you're looking to use others to get back on top, expecting way more than what you put in...

northernwolf0 said:Humility isn't spirituality; spirit equals consciousness, so spirituality equals consciousness.

Modesty arrives naturally as a byproduct of spirituality and consciousness, whereas humility feels more like a form of masochism.

Man, humility is actually a spiritual concept

like, think about that moment when someone truly realizes the sheer scale of God

it’s basically just constantly acknowledging how little you know compared to God—you know, accepting your own limits, flaws, and imperfections. It’s really just about not being (spiritually) blind.

In that sense, it's a pure virtue—nothing more, nothing less. It’s the total opposite of ego, self-centeredness, arrogance, and all those other forms of pride.

It's a reflection of greatness of spirit.

Of wisdom.

I mean, only a fool thinks they know everything or that there's nothing left to learn—or that anyone knows better than them. That's why they're fools, right?

Arrogance and being full of yourself is way more common among people like that... I guess it's just easier for them to brag about their own value since they can't see past themselves and are totally stuck on their own little world.

Humility is considered a virtue and a blessing. Honestly, it's pretty much the recipe for a happy life...

because humility is that state where you're at peace with yourself, at peace with the people around you, and at peace with the Creator.

Oh, please—spare me the lecture; you really think you’ve got it all figured out, don't you?

Where did I ever mention an actual axe or where it fell? Nowhere. I was talking about a state of mind—not physical possessions or external circumstances.

Look, everyone hits a low point now and then; that’s just part of being human. But even then, you can still maintain gratitude and find joy in the fact that you're actually alive—and from that foundation comes a genuine, effortless kind of humility.

The alternative is to spin this endless saga where you're the victim, where life is unfair, where everyone else has it easier, and where you have to fight tooth and nail just to avoid being eaten alive. If you choose that path, any sense of humility you claim to have is either fake or it'll just burn you out instantly.

Someone might feel unlucky or overwhelmed by life, yet they can make a conscious choice to be a decent person—to serve others, to set aside their own ego, and to practice true humility.

My whole point was that it’s much better to cultivate that internal headspace first—that sense of vitality and gratitude—so that humility follows naturally. If you try to force it when you're feeling miserable, you're just going to exhaust yourself. I felt it was worth bringing up because I know plenty of organized religions would disagree with me—they tend to insist that you have to start with outward behavior and discipline alone.

I simply thought if anyone was going to reply, I might actually hear a thoughtful perspective for once.

There. That's it.