Path of Humility

As I was writing music and lyrics the other day for a new song, I found this definition of humility on Wikipedia that opened my eyes and my heart:

submission to God and legitimate authority;


recognition of the virtues and talents that others possess, particularly those which surpass one's own, and giving due honor and, when required, obeisance;


recognition of the limits of one's talents, ability, or authority; and, not reaching for that which is beyond one's grasp.

Humility...recognizing how small you are and how big God is.

St. Augustine of Hippo is one of my favorite saints, as well as one of the most quotable.  I discovered this one on his feast day a few weeks ago that I can't stop thinking about:

"To fall in love with God is the greatest romance; to seek Him; the greatest adventure; to find him, the greatest human achievement."

Humility...the act of authentic praise of God by our love of Him, by our search for Him, by our encounter with Him.

I saw this article on CNN.com on several visits to the site.  I was attracted to it, but afraid to click on it.  So, I finally did that this morning.  It's a story about a new book that details the common traits of people who survived disasters of all kinds.  As I was reading, I realized why I was so hesitant.  I desire a larger helping of humility in my own life.  My deepening need for humility has given me awareness that my lack of it has caused some of the challenges I face.  And then, the author of the book was quoted as saying this:

"Humility can keep you out of trouble."

Humility...it can save your life whether you're trapped in the wilderness, floating helplessly in the ocean for days, or trying to find a way out of your life's "disasters" caused by lonliness, greed or pride.