The theme for this book study will be the importance of humility in our relationship with others. We’ll be guided by John Dickson author of the book Humilitas. His credentials include a PhD. in ancient history teaching at Macquarie University in Australia and he is co-director of the Centre for Public Christianity. To define humility he begins by saying what it is not. Common misconceptions include things like humiliation, being a doormat or persons with low self-esteem. It does mean “the noble choice to forgo your status, deploy your resources or use your influence for the good of others before yourself.”
Dickson points out that humility can only be exercised willingly and with dignity toward others. That means your humility must be visible to others without knowingly trying to prove you are humble. It also means that while you are putting others before yourself, you do not have to sacrifice your own self-esteem in the process.
Dickson says that living a life of humility is “more about how I treat others than how I think about myself.” Dickson points out that if you have to stop and think about whether what you are doing represents humility you have probably already lost the battle. Humility then must become a part of our being if we are truly practicing it as Jesus showed us during His time on earth.
Many of us are in leadership positions so next week Dickson will share what it means to be a servant leader.