Advice for Those Who Seek Humility

By Archdeacon Habib Guirgus

Do not reveal the good you do to others, to avoid vainglory. Do not work or make a deed or talk in a way requesting comments from people, lest you hear the Master say to you; "You had your reward" (Matthew 6:2), but rather flee from all what leads to pride and boast.

Love humility, and rejoice when the causes of pride and boast weakens and do not desire that people compliment you.

If someone complimented you, make it a means to increase your humility, and rejoice in thanking others.

Do not envy, but acquire the holy zeal. Do not let your goal be 'to please people', but please God and then people will be satisfied.

Put all your efforts first to glorify God, and do not let your heart boast by your works, but give glory to God alone, saying; "For all things come from You... from Your hand, and is all Your own" (I Chronicles 29:14,16).

Cast out of your heart the desire to boast and pride and vainglory.

Do not prevent the good from your neighbor and know that all you have and own on this earth, is not from you, but it is from God "from the Father of lights" (James 1:17).

Let your heart be humble and meek, and do not return evil and cursing except by meekness and politeness. Salvage yourself from the evil of others by fleeing, or by patience, or by calmness, or by sweet words. Be meek, calm and humble to all people, and let your meekness be free of weakness.

Walk with your brothers and sisters in love, and treat them in meekness and humility.

Be a servant to them, talk to them gently, and converse with them-smiling, and respecting them deeply, and offer dignity and honor unto them. Be an example for them in meekness and humility, and accept from the divine hands everything that befell you in patience, knowing that God wills that for you.

Humility is better than knowledge. A poor man with little knowledge but humble, is far better than a rich philosopher who is boastful and proud.

Exert all the effort that you can to live a good life, much better than excessive knowledge without virtue. Know that virtue is much higher and more appealing than knowledge.

Do not let your heart boast and do not be proud, for the boastful is rejected from God and people. Do not be proud by knowledge, and do not boast by a trade, but rather learn to live humbly. Know that you did not receive anything by your power or strength, but by the grace of God.

If you ever thought that you acquire knowledge and smartness, look and watch for you are missing many things that you are not aware of and if your mind is filled with science and knowledge, be sure that you are yet at the shore of the vast knowledge.

Admit your ignorance and limitations, and never think of yourself that you are something. Think positive about others, for that is an increased wisdom and a high virtue. If you saw someone fell, give him/her an excuse, and ask God for his/her speedy recovery, because you do not know what will befall you.

If you saw someone committing a serious sin, never think that you are better than him, for you never know if you will continue being good or will fall into temptations - we are all weak and are in a bad need for God's help to protect us from the traps and snares of pride and boasting.

If you saw yourself short of something or a matter needs to be mended, do not let pride prevent you from correcting it, and do not allow your boasting spoil what you want to repair.

Accept the advice of others in thanksgiving, and make it a means to correct yourself. If you advised someone, let it be in love, humility and meekness.

Be an example for everyone, to proclaim that Christianity made you meek, sensitive, polite, calm, and lead a happy life.

Be humble with the adults and the young ones. Be calm before everyone to become loved from God and man. Do not marvel at yourself if you achieved a great matter, but rather give glory to God who granted you that gift and bestowed on you that grace.

Do not boast at your beautiful features or the strength of your youth, for both will vanish and go, and a little sickness can destroy the beauty of your face and weakens the strength of man.

Do not be proud by your wealth, for it could be taken, lost or stolen.

Do not show off your relatives and friends who are dignified and powerful, but rather let your pride be in the Lord who grants everything to the godliness.

Do not consider yourself better than others, lest you become despised in the eyes of others! God will reject you and people will repel you and cast you out, but try to consider yourself less than them all. If you have or acquire something good, believe that others have better and greater than you. You never lose when you are humble and meek, but you will lose and be hurt badly if you boast and be so proud. Do not love show off with the great and dignified ones, but be content and happy being around the humble and simple ones.

Stay away from hypocrisy as you flee from a serpent, as cast it out of your heart. Let your outward be like your inward, and do not allow yourself to know the way to 'sneakiness', 'to cheating', and to be a hypocrite.

Do not despise anyone or put them down or belittle them, whether it is young ones or elders or poor, lest you be considered judgmental to God's creatures.

Respect and honor everyone and watch their feelings. If you saw a handicap in the street, try to lead him to his destiny. Do not excuse yourself from a small task dictated to you by virtue and humility claiming that it is despised and filthy, but be a good example in serving others, knowing that your Master 'came to serve, and not to be served' (cf. Matthew 20:28).

Visit prisoners and the sick. Host the poor and strangers. Help the weak and comfort the sad. Strengthen the broken and be a refuge for those in calamities. Be patient and compassionate with the poor and ask forgiveness from those whom you have hurt.

Bless those who persecute you and love those who hate you.

If someone despised you or reviled you for being holy, be happy and rejoice exceedingly, for your reward in heaven is doubled and have deserved the heavenly.