Lessons in Humility

Last week, I was in Senegal, Africa, with a small team from my church, visiting with mission partners and spending time in the remote village of Khamada, which isn't even on a map.  

I was blown away by how we were welcomed into the village with open arms, fed, and accepted — not as guests, but as family. 

It was an incredibly humbling experience to be received so warmly.  We were guests at the wedding of a young pastor in a neighboring village, where I was asked to deliver a "sermon," with the aid of a translator.  

I can't tell you how many people came up to me, shook my hand, and told me what a good job I did.  I'm pretty sure the translator made me sound more eloquent than I deserved, and I had no idea what I was doing.  

I was nearly brought to tears so many times as I thought about how we were embraced and how unworthy I felt to receive such hospitality and grace.  I'm actually fighting them back now as I write.  

There are moments when the generosity or kindness of another person catches us off guard—not because we did not need it, but because we did not expect to receive it. 

We are used to being capable, prepared, and self-sufficient. And then someone shows up with compassion we didn’t earn, help we didn’t request, or grace we didn’t think we deserved. In those moments, something in us is quietly undone. We are humbled—and if we allow it, we are also changed.

Mahatma Gandhi once wrote: 

“The seeker after truth should be humbler than the dust. The world crushes the dust under its feet, but the seeker after truth should so humble himself that even the dust could crush him. Only then, and not till then, will he have a glimpse of truth.” 

Gandhi’s words remind us that humility is not weakness or self-erasure; it is an honest posture before reality. Humility loosens our grip on pride, superiority, and the illusion that we are entirely self-made. It clears our vision so that truth can finally come into focus.

Scripture echoes this wisdom again and again. The prophet Micah asks, “What does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). Humility is not an abstract virtue—it is a way of walking, a daily choice to live open-handed rather than closed-fisted. Proverbs tells us that “pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18), while James reminds us that “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

Jesus embodied this path fully. He washed feet, welcomed children, touched the untouchable, and allowed himself to be served by those society overlooked. Philippians tells us that Christ “emptied himself” and took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:7). In doing so, he revealed that true purpose is found not in elevation, but in love poured out.

When we step out of our comfort zones—when we let others give to us, teach us, challenge us—we begin to see the world more clearly. We discover that humility opens doors, pride keeps them locked. It teaches us who we are and who we are called to be as followers of Christ.

Prayer:
Gracious God, soften our hearts. Teach us to receive as freely as we give, and to release our need for control and superiority. Shape in us the humility of Christ, so that we may walk more faithfully in your truth. Amen.

Reflection Questions:

1. When have you been humbled by the generosity or kindness of another person? What did it reveal in you?

2. Where might pride or comfort be limiting your ability to see God’s work more clearly?

3. What is one concrete way you can practice humility this week as you follow Christ more fully?