Welcoming those who humble us
Job 40: 3-5
One of the most appealing virtues to
possess is humility, but it’s also one of the most difficult and painful to
attain. St. Teresa of Avila said all
authentic prayer requires 3 basic virtues: “fraternal love, detachment from
things, and humility” (Way of Perfection).
Every saint is humble. Sooner or
later God sends us someone to humble us.
He sent me a kindergartner.
A few
weeks ago, I visited the school, and noticed one of the kindergarten students
sitting by himself. Figuring the
shepherd should seek the lost sheep, I went over to talk with him. I asked him why he was sitting by
himself. He said sheepishly, “I got in
trouble.” I said, “Well, it happens, but
try to be better.” He noticed my coffee
cup and asked, “What’s in your cup?” I
said, “It’s hot coffee.” He asked, “Why
are you drinking that?” I thought I
would make him think a little so I said, “Why do you think I am drinking
that?” He replied, “Why do YOU think
you’re drinking that??” And I thought to
myself: “Now I know why you’re sitting by yourself, you little smartalek!” But what a great answer he gave: he made ME
think. He humbled me.
Today’s
first reading is from the fascinating Old Testament book of Job. Job is a righteous man. He’s so good that even God brags about
him. But there’s still one more virtue
Job needs, namely, humility. Who does
God send to teach Job this crucial lesson?
He sends the devil, who deprives Job of all his possessions and tells him
to blaspheme God. I don’t think God sent
the devil just to test Job; he sent him to teach Job, to teach him
humility. So even though Job demands an
answer for his plight and problems, he ultimately concludes: “Behold, I am of
little account; what can I answer you? I
put my hand over my mouth.” I wanted to
put my hand over that little kindergartner’s mouth! You see, God sent Satan to humble Job, just
like he sent a kindergartner to humble me.
Every saint must learn humility.
Would you
say you are a very humble person? If you
think you’re humble, that’s a pretty good sign you’re probably NOT! Most truly humble people think they are
filled with pride and arrogance.
Humility is one of those elusive virtues that you don’t get by demanding
it or by some spiritual exercise. You
have to sneak up on it, or better, it has to sneak up on you, in the form of
someone God sends to humble you, like a kindergartner. Humility is a virtue we cannot get on our
own; someone else must give it to us, like the person who out-smarts us, or is
funnier than us, or is more beautiful than us, or is stronger than us, or is
more loving and patient than us, or is more generous than us. Today open your eyes and your heart to the
people God sends to teach you humility.
Every saint must be humble.
Praised be
Jesus Christ!
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