Humility is, in some ways, a very complicated thing, but at the same time, it is also very simple. Many people misunderstand humility. They think it means putting themselves down, denying their gifts, or pretending they are less than they are. But true humility is not thinking less of yourself—it is thinking of yourself less.
To be humble is to see yourself as God sees you. And how does God see you? He looks at you with love. He looks at you with pride, the way a parent looks at a child. He looks at you and says, “I believe in you. I want to raise you up.”
Too often, we imagine humility as God pressing us down, as if He wants to silence us or keep us small. But the truth is the opposite. Just as a parent delights in their child’s growth, God delights when you grow in confidence, when you find your voice, and when you rise to the fullness of who He made you to be.
Let me give you an image. Picture a little lion standing before a frog. The lion roars, but the frog doesn’t move. Suddenly, the shadow of the great mother lion falls across the ground—and instantly the frog leaps away. The little lion thinks it was his roar that scared the frog, but we know the truth: it was the presence of the great lion behind him.
This is humility. It is knowing that God is always with you, standing behind you, before you, and within you. Whatever good you accomplish, you do it with His strength. That is why we give glory to God for every blessing, every gift, every success.
So when someone praises you, humility does not mean denying it: “Oh, I’m nothing, I’m not good enough.” No. True humility means accepting the praise with gratitude, but in your heart saying: “Jesus, this glory belongs to You.”
Humility, then, is balance. It is seeing yourself as no less and no more than what God sees in you. And the truth is: God sees greatness in you. He loves you, He believes in you, and He created you for great things.
So be humble—not by shrinking down, but by standing tall in the love of God, always giving Him the glory.
With love,
Little-pencil reflects on Fr. Rob Galea’s homily
Little-pencil 