Steps on the Path to God – The Practical Application of Humility
Steps on the Path to God
Today I continue with you our talk about humility, so that we may study this virtue in our practical life, as it enters into our relationships with God, with people, and with ourselves.
The Practical Application of Humility
We said that humility is for a person to feel in the depths of his being that he is sinful, weak, and unworthy, and that he is less than all people.
But what is important is that he treat himself on this basis, and accept the way people and God deal with him as someone sinful and unworthy.
A person may say that he is sinful, but if he hears someone describing him as sinful, he revolts, protests, becomes angry, and defends himself. Thus, the phrase of humility that his tongue utters is not the truth of his heart from within.
So what are the true signs of humility in its practical application?
The truly humble person who feels his sin accepts everything that comes upon him.
He says: “If God dealt with me according to my sins, I would not deserve to live.” He sees that all the insults and troubles that befall him are far less than what he deserves, and he accepts them with thanksgiving.
An example of this is David the prophet and king, when Shimei the son of Gera cursed him with painful curses. He answered: “Let him curse, because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David’” (2 Sam 16:10), and he considered it a natural result of his previous sins.
The humble person who feels his sins is pained and saddened if people honor him.
He realizes that he is receiving what is not his, and says within himself: “These people who praise me do not know my true reality. If they knew it, I would be confused as to how to hide my face from them in shame.” He reproaches himself, perhaps thinking that he is a hypocrite who appears other than what he truly is.
If this is his feeling, then he will not boast…
He does not speak about himself, does not explain virtues in himself, and does not speak well of his own self. Even if he speaks about himself, he mentions only his sins, and does not mention them except with shame. He continually says: “Who am I?!”
The humble person is always contrite. His sin is before him at all times.
It humiliates him inwardly, squeezes his eyes with tears, brings him contrition, makes him withdraw, and makes him feel his weakness. He does not forget his sins no matter how much God forgets them for him, and no matter how much they are forgiven. Just as David wept over his sins after they were forgiven, and just as Paul mentioned his sins and said: “I am not worthy to be called an apostle” (1 Cor 15:9).
The humble person who feels his weakness, if a service is offered to him, sees himself as unworthy and incapable, and that it is better for him to sit all his life in the ranks of the catechumens, asking repentance for himself.
Therefore, he cannot ask God for gifts and wonders.
He says to the Lord: “Who am I to work wonders, heal the sick, and raise the dead? It is better for me to raise myself from the death of sin, and to ask healing for my spiritual illnesses.” He also says to himself: “I cannot bear these gifts because of the pride of my soul. Gifts befit the humble beloved of God who can bear them.”
The humble person’s prayer is always saturated with the spirit of humility and contrition.
It is the prayer of a person whose soul has clung to the dust (Ps 119:25), who has drenched his bed with his tears (Ps 6:6), who says to God: “Do not hide Your face from me” (Ps 27:9), and do not deal with me according to my sins!
If the humble person enters a church, he acts like the tax collector: he stands afar off and does not dare to enter. He may not dare to lift his eyes upward, but beats his breast and says: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13). He may stand behind a pillar, seeing no one and being seen by no one.
He asks every person to pray for him, and asks the intercession of every saint for him, so that he may be counted worthy to enter the house of the Lord. And if he approaches to partake of the divine mysteries, he approaches with fear, as one standing before a blazing fire.
The humble person continually feels that he is deficient and negligent, and that he has not yet reached what he ought to do.
The Apostle Paul used to say: “Not that I have already attained” or received anything (Phil 3:13). Paul, who ascended to the third heaven, labored more than all the apostles, and whom God guarded from the abundance of revelations, says that he is striving, perhaps that he may attain (Phil 3:12).
And Arsenius the Great, who used to spend the whole night in prayer, who was a man of solitude and silence more than all, whose eyelashes fell from excessive weeping, whom the saints sought for his blessing, and to whom Pope Theophilus came seeking a word of benefit—this Arsenius says: “Grant me, O Lord, to begin.” He considers himself as not having begun yet…
The humble person looks to the higher levels and to the perfection required of him, and thus always feels that he is weighed as lacking.
He feels that the road ahead of him is still very long. No matter how much he fulfills all the commandments, he sees himself as merely an unprofitable servant…
If love is the first fruit among the many fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5:22), and love is a long program that Paul describes in (1 Cor 13), and until now he has not attained the depths of this love nor fulfilled its requirements, then what does he say about the rest of the fruits of the Spirit, of which he has nothing?! He says this with confidence from the depths of his heart, not merely as a claim of humility.
The humble person is abundant in thanksgiving; he gives thanks for everything, because he is convinced that he deserves nothing of the gifts he has received. He says: “I, O Lord, have done nothing by which I deserve Your gifts.” He does not say, like some of the proud, “I demand from God my rights in sonship and my rights in inheritance.” Rather, he says to God: “I am no longer worthy to be called Your son. Make me like one of Your hired servants” (Luke 15:19).
I have not even reached the rank of the “unprofitable servants” who have done all that was commanded them!
The proud person demands rights, because he forgets his debts because of his sins, and forgets God’s rights over him. Even if he says: “My rights in the blood of Christ,” he forgets the saying of the Apostle Paul about the one who sins deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, and what punishment he deserves (Heb 10:26–29).
Therefore, there is a pride that we can call “doctrinal pride.”
The pride of those who do not respect the priesthood through a wrong interpretation of the phrase: “Do not be called Rabbi… and do not call anyone on earth your father” (Matt 23:8–9). The pride of those who do not respect the saints and do not ask for their intercession, thinking that they are like them! The pride of those who say that we are all kings and priests, meaning that there is no difference between them and the priestly fathers!
The pride of those who do not acknowledge church canons, traditions, or the commandments of the fathers, but acknowledge only their own personal understanding of the Gospel!
The pride of those who say about the Virgin that she is like an eggshell from which the chick came out, and thus the shell is worth nothing afterward…!
The pride of those who pray while sitting, while before God stand angels and archangels, and the cherubim and seraphim bow in reverence, with two wings covering their faces and with two wings covering their feet because of the awe of His glory. “The twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne” (Rev 4:10).
The pride of those who address the Lord only with the phrase “Jesus”: “Jesus loved me. Jesus gave me. I love You, Jesus,” and forget our saying when reading the Gospel: “Our Lord, God, and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom is glory forever and ever. Amen.” Here are humility and reverence in worship.
There is also the pride of those who insist that they speak in tongues and declare to people that this is the sign of fullness, and of those who do not speak in tongues, they claim that they have not yet experienced it.
The pride of one who calls another person and says to him: “Come so that I may hand over to you the training of fullness,” and stands before people as a giver of tongues and gifts!!
The pride of one who says: I have been justified, sanctified, renewed, and have received fullness, and I am confident that I will inherit the kingdom—as if there are no wars, or as if he is stronger than those who fell!!
How easy it is for pride to enter into theological teaching, to wear the garments of lambs, and to teach, with no objection even to calling for humility!!
And they forget the saying of the father of fathers and prophets, Abraham, who said: “I have begun to speak to the Lord, though I am dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27). If Abraham is dust, then who are you, O miserable one?!
Familiarity with God does not prevent respect, nor does it prevent fear. No matter who you are, you will never reach the familiarity that existed between God and our father Abraham. It is pride for a person to lose his fear before the Church, before the saints, and before God, and to think that he is not in need of anyone, so that he may have a solitary relationship with God without “stewards of the mysteries of God”!
Also, the humble person is gentle, easy to deal with, and willing to learn.
As for the proud person, he is much given to argument and debate, does not easily accept teaching, nor accept advice and guidance, but relies on his own opinion.
He forgets that believers in the early Church were called “disciples,” and that they had a life of discipleship, and he forgets that listening is better than speaking.
The proud person, in his self-confidence, often judges others…
He is discontent with everything. Everyone is deficient in his eyes. His criticism is sharp, and no one escapes it. He may not judge individuals only, nor leaders only, but may judge the entire Church!! He judges millions! Look what a sin this is! With great ease some say that the Church is asleep, and that he alone is awake.
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