Humility is the Key to Spiritual Power

It is better to serve in heaven than rule in hell

A proud man is always looking down on things and people; and, of course, as long as you are looking down, you cannot see something that is above you.— C.S. Lewis

Humility is NOT humble.

It is, in fact, the the key to spiritually confident living.

I had this thought occur to me when I was riding my bike back from seeing the delightful film, Jules.

Your power is in direct proportion to your humility, precisely because the greater power always comes from the Greater to which one must always be open to and obey or “hear beneath.” In order for that power to be made available to me I must let go of my attachments and conceptions, for I cannot conceive of it, nor produce this greater knowledge and power. I simply must be open to it, accept it, and be grateful for it.

Throw out all you think you know about humility.

Humility is not self-effacing or self-debasing. It is a powerful, positive doorway to the enhancement of the deeper, higher, and larger Self. It places the small self into a state of receptivity, respect, and wonder. It is this desire to surrender rulership in small realms, in the presence of greater knowledge and wisdom, which allows us to generate the greatest of all powers— Love.

As I have mentioned in the previous post, the Greek roots to the word “obey”, the decision to be in a state of humility means merely to “hear beneath”. It has nothing to do with prostrating oneself or bellowing “I am not worthy” (cue the scene from Saturday Night Live’s Wayne’s World).

Look at our folly! Examine the archery target above. Isn’t it interesting accomplishment in the world means hitting the smallest, center circle with an arrow. And yet, in the heavenly endeavor the exact opposite is the “aim”! We aim to EXPAND into the outer and greater and more encompassing rings, to deepen and widen our concern beyond ourselves and our narrow purposes and their narrow powers.

Without humility we miss this obvious reality of available power from above. We shut ourselves off. We compensate. Then we become lost in the no-win game of the world. We strive to become billionaires. We indulge in astral games of necromancy or other forms of occult new thought. We make our “deals with the devil,” that Jesus was wise enough to refuse, in order to steal some desperate WORDLY power. For Jesus knew, as we must know simply by looking into the heart of our own choices, that we forfeit “the above” (greater heavenly capability) by selling out to the below.

Our response ought be similar to Jesus: “Get behind me, Satan.” For we acknowledge “What should it profit a person to gain the world and lose his or her soul?” We will not give into temptation to sacrifice the greater spiritual to the lesser worldly. It is a really bad deal.

Humility is glad tiding and opening

Humility is joyous and abundant. We are trading conceit and pride, and the tremendous, gnawing temporal insecurity these vices embody in favor of an eternal perspective. We rid ourselves of the anxiety of basing our self-worth on changing tides of vocation or fortune. We surrender the attempt to find salvation in strivings for worldly legacy (fame, success, children, money), as we humbly recognize this all turns to dust.

Humility turns our gaze from the lower toward the higher, from looking down on people and things below to the above as C.S. Lewis suggests. For we know in our hearts (even if our pride and body resist) that “The first (in the world) shall be the last (in spirit), and the last (shall be) first.” (Matthew 20:16).

We intuitively affirm this when we hear the laughter of a child immersed in pure fascination and play. We recognize this truth every time we see a beautiful butterfly flitting through an early morning meadow as we are out for a walk. There is no power greater than spiritual freedom and joy and the ability to enjoy and honor God’s creation.

And what better way to honor this overwhelming gift of life and spirit we are given… but to have gratitude for all and humbly love the greatest, highest, and deepest shining through the world this moment?