Hard to be humble - Rector's Rambling for October 20, 2019

“Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble, when you’re perfect in every way.”

Many of you may read that line about and recognize it as an old song from the radio.  I always found it to be funny, the thought that anyone would actually think such a thing.  And yet, at times, we actually act in just such a way.

Where in our lives do we think we are perfect?  Where in our lives do we think that we are almost perfect?  We may be seeing progress in our lives, and maybe even be close to perfection in many ways.    And even Jesus says, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48).  Perfection is what we should strive for!

So even if the person singing the song isn’t “perfect in every way”, at least he has one part of the statement correct.  It is “hard to be humble”.  Humility rubs at the core of our self-importance and self-preservation, wounds our pride and ego.  Of course, the song is making light of an unrealistic situation, but even in that, there is some truth.

Humility is hard.  But it is VITALLY NECESSARY to the spiritual life.  Even if you are perfect or close to perfect, that cannot be achieved without humility.  You cannot be prideful and be perfect, but just the opposite.  The saints are witness to this fact – they would be the first to tell you how much further they need to go to perfection when to our measure they are so very close!

Things going well?  Give God the glory and credit.  Things not going well?  Thank God and give Him the glory anyway, and ask him for relief in order to glorify Him all the more!  He can use us in either situation to glorify Himself, and in turn we become more holy…closer to the perfection He desires for us.