HUMBLE AS CHRIST
What did the Savior teach about pride? Ponder in your heart,
are you proud? What things come before your efforts to grow spiritually? Do you
do the right things for the right reasons without delay? Do you make a
difference for good?
Alma 5:28
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D&C 23:1
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D&C 42:40
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Matthew 20:27
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1 Peter 5:5
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Ether 12:27
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Matthew 18:4
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Matthew 23:12
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Helaman 3:35
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D&C 54:3
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D&C 112:10
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HUMBLE AS CHRIST QUOTES
ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES
Psalms 35:31
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I humbled my soul with fasting
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Isaiah 57:15
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The Lord dwells with him that is humble
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Philippians 2:8
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Jesus humbled himself and became
obedient unto death
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2 Nephi 9:42
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God resists the proud, and gives grace
to the humble
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Mosiah 4:11
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Humble yourselves in the depths of
humility
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D&C 136:32-33
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Let him that is ignorant learn wisdom
by humbling himself
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THE EXAMPLE OF THE SAVIOR
“The perfect role model for use of the holy priesthood is our Savior,
Jesus Christ. He ministered with love, compassion, and charity. His life was a
matchless example of humility and power. The greatest blessings from the use of
the priesthood flow from humble service to others without thought of self.”[1]
“The Savior’s perfect submission to the Eternal Father is the very
essence of a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Christ’s example teaches us
that a broken heart is an eternal attribute of godliness. When our hearts are
broken, we are completely open to the Spirit of God and recognize our
dependence on Him for all that we have and all that we are. The sacrifice so
entailed is a sacrifice of pride in all its forms. Like malleable clay in the
hands of a skilled potter, the brokenhearted can be molded and shaped in the
hands of the Master.”[2]
“If the Lord was meek
and lowly and humble, then to become humble one must do what he did in boldly
denouncing evil, bravely advancing righteous works, courageously meeting every
problem, becoming the master of himself and the situations about him and being
near oblivious to personal credit. Humility is not pretentious, presumptuous,
nor proud. It is not weak, vacillating, nor servile. . . . Humble and meek
properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses. They suggest a consistent mildness of
temper and an absence of wrath and passion. . . . It is not servile
submissiveness. It is not cowed nor frightened. . . . How does one get humble?
To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On
the Lord. How remind one’s self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful
prayer”[3]
WHAT IS HUMILITY?
Humility: To make meek and teachable, or the condition
of being meek and teachable. Humility includes recognizing our dependence upon
God and desiring to submit to his will. [4]
“Humility, of course, is not a sign of weakness. Humility does not mean
timidity. A person can be humble, powerful, and courageous. The Prophet Joseph
is a good example. Humility is an acknowledged recognition of our dependence on
a higher power”[5]
“To be humble is to recognize gratefully your dependence on the Lord—to
understand that you have constant need for His support. Humility is an
acknowledgment that your talents and abilities are gifts from God. It is not a
sign of weakness, timidity, or fear; it is an indication that you know where
your true strength lies. You can be both humble and fearless. You can be both
humble and courageous. . . . The Lord will strengthen you as you humble
yourself before Him”[6]
IN MEEKNESS AND HUMILITY
“Humility responds to God’s will—to the fear of His judgments and the
needs of those around us. To the proud, the applause of the world rings in
their ears; to the humble, the applause of heaven warms their hearts.”[7]
“I could pray in my heart that all my brethren were like unto my
beloved brother Hyrum, who possesses the mildness of a lamb, and the integrity
of a Job, and in short, the meekness and humility of Christ; and I love him
with that love that is stronger than death, for I never had occasion to rebuke
him, nor he me.”[8]
“Just as we must be cleansed of sin to have the Spirit with us, we must
be humble enough before God to recognize our need for it.”[9]
“We now bear witness that his coming is near at hand; and not many
years hence, the nations and their kings shall see him coming in the clouds of
heaven with power and great glory. In order to meet this great event there must
needs be a preparation. Therefore we send unto you with authority from on high,
and command you all to repent and humble yourselves as little children, before
the majesty of the Holy One; and come unto Jesus [Christ] with a broken heart
and a contrite spirit; and be baptized in his name, for the remission of sins
(that is, be buried in the water in the likeness of his burial and rise again
to newness of life, in the likeness of his resurrection), and you shall receive
the gift of the Holy Spirit, through the laying on of the hands of the Apostles
and elders, of this great and last dispensation of mercy to man.”[10]
“… I pray God to give us wisdom, and to help us to be humble, faithful,
meek and lowly of heart.”[11]
“Many of us live or work in an environment where humility is often
misunderstood and considered a weakness. Not many corporations or institutions
include humility as a value statement or a desired characteristic of their
management. Yet as we learn about the workings of God, the power of a humble
and submissive spirit becomes apparent. In the kingdom of God, greatness begins
with humility and submissiveness. These companion virtues are the first
critical steps to opening the doors to the blessings of God and the power of
the priesthood. It matters not who we are or how lofty our credentials appear.
Humility and submissiveness to the Lord, coupled with a grateful heart, are our
strength and our hope”[12]
A BROKEN HEART & CONTRITE SPIRIT
“Those who
have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are willing to do anything and
everything that God asks of them, without resistance or resentment. We cease
doing things our way and learn to do them God’s way instead. In such a
condition of submissiveness, the Atonement can take effect and true repentance
can occur. The penitent will then experience the sanctifying power of the Holy
Ghost, which will fill them with peace of conscience and the joy of
reconciliation with God. In a wondrous union of divine attributes, the same God
who teaches us to walk with a broken heart invites us to rejoice and to be of
good cheer.”[13]
“What is a
broken heart? One that is humble, one that is touched by the Spirit of the
Lord, and which is willing to abide in all the covenants and the obligations which
the Gospel entails.”[14]
“‘Contrite’
means ‘humble.’ ‘The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit[15];
a broken spirit and a contrite heart are those in which the obstinacy of pride
has been replaced by the humility of repentance, frequently brought about by
sorrow and affliction.”[16]
CULTIVATING HUMILITY
“God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we
can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, “Blessed are they who humble
themselves without being compelled to be humble.”[17]
Let us choose to be humble.”[18]
“We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our
brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or
higher than we are.[19]
We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement.[20]
We can choose to humble ourselves by forgiving those who have offended us.[21]
We can choose to humble ourselves by rendering selfless service.[22]
We can choose to humble ourselves by going on missions and preaching the word
that can humble others.[23]
We can choose to humble ourselves by getting to the temple more frequently. We
can choose to humble ourselves by confessing and forsaking our sins and being
born of God.[24]
We can choose to humble ourselves by loving God, submitting our will to His,
and putting Him first in our lives.[25]
Let us choose to be humble. We can do it. I know we can.”[26]
“Humility does not mean convincing ourselves that we are worthless,
meaningless, or of little value. Nor does it mean denying or withholding the
talents God has given us. We don’t discover humility by thinking less of
ourselves; we discover humility by thinking less about ourselves. It comes as
we go about our work with an attitude of serving God and our fellowman.
Humility directs our attention and love toward others and to Heavenly Father’s
purposes. Pride does the opposite. Pride draws its energy and strength from the
deep wells of selfishness. The moment we stop obsessing with ourselves and lose
ourselves in service, our pride diminishes and begins to die.”[27]
“The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness.[28]
It is the broken heart and contrite spirit.[29]”[30]
“Humility is all about keeping one’s balance. For example, when you
receive a compliment, receive it graciously, but don’t let it go to your head. …
A person who is humble is teachable. Indeed, the Lord has promised, ‘For my
Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite.’[31]”[32]
“Humility helps us avoid seeking honor for ourselves or relying too
much on our own strength.”[33]
“Be humble, be watchful, be prayerful. Beware of pride, lest you fall
like others”[34]
HUMILITY IN PRAYER
“As the humble servants of the Savior, we should pray for the
manifestations of the Holy Ghost to come to us in our service and to those we
serve. Humble prayer to our Heavenly Father, in deep faith in Jesus Christ, is
essential to qualify us for the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Our humility
and our faith that invite spiritual gifts are increased by our reading,
studying, and pondering the scriptures.”[35]
“At times fasting is appropriate as a strong evidence of our sincerity.
. . . When we fast we humble our souls, which brings us more in tune with God
and His holy purposes”[36]
HUMILITY BLESSES OUR LIVES
“When we have received a forgiveness of sins, a broken heart serves as
a divine shield against temptation. … When we yield our hearts to the Lord, the
attractions of the world simply lose their luster.”[37]
“With pride, there
are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings. For example, “Be
thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee
answer to thy prayers.”[40]
The humble will “be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive
knowledge.”[41]
The Lord is “merciful unto those who confess their sins with humble hearts.”[42]
Humility can turn away God’s anger.[43]”[44]
“Humility is essential to the acquiring of spiritual knowledge. To be
humble is to be teachable. Humility permits you to be tutored by the Spirit and
to be taught from sources inspired by the Lord, such as the scriptures. The
seeds of personal growth and understanding germinate and flourish in the
fertile soil of humility. Their fruit is spiritual knowledge to guide you here
and hereafter. A proud individual cannot know the things of the Spirit.”[45]
“Two great virtues … give a man power with the heavens—integrity and
purity of character. Let a man possess these, let his heart be true and
unflinching, let his life be pure, and, if we add to these humility, he is
[protected] against a multitude of weaknesses and can resist a host of
temptations. We all have our weaknesses; God has permitted them that we might
be taught humility in ourselves and charity towards others.”[46]
·
PONDERING HUMILITYWhat
characteristics do children have that can guide adults in becoming humble?
·
How will our being humble enable the Lord to
guide us?
·
What blessings come to those who are humble?
It Shall Be Manifest
Beautiful
is the operation of
the Holy Spirit.
It
unveils and develops that which is
noble,
and eternal,
and divine in man.
The
proud are humbled,
The
hateful made to love.
The
supposedly self-sufficient
are enlightened
as to the identity of
and their dependency upon
Our
Divine Redeemer.
The
eyes
of those who have been
blind to the truth
are opened.
The
hearts
of those who have been hardened
against the ever-condescending rays
of light
and love
are softened.
And if
they receive it,
Each
day
is more precious,
more meaningful for them,
and
They
may walk in a newness of life,
If they but ask.
HUMBLE AS CHRIST - ADDITIONAL NOTES
[1]
Richard G Scott, Honor the
Priesthood and Use it Well, Ensign, Nov 2008
[2]
Bruce D Porter, A Broken Heart and a
Contrite Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2007
[3]
The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, ed. Edward L. Kimball [1982], 232–33 as
quoted in the Book of Mormon Institute Manual, 304
[4]
Guide to the Scriptures: Humility
[5]
The Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson [1988], 369 as quoted in the Book of Mormon
Institute Manual, 160-161
[6]
True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference [2004], 86
[7]
Ezra Taft Benson, Cleansing the
Inner Vessel, Ensign, May 1986
[8]
Joseph Smith, History of the Church,
2:338 as quoted by M Russell Ballard, Ensign, Nov 1991
[9]
Henry B Eyring, Serve with the
Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2010
[10]
Messages of the First Presidency, 1:252–54 as quoted by Ezra Taft Benson, A Message to the World, Ensign, Nov 1975
[11]
Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of
Presidents of the Church, Chapter 10, Humble Reliance on God
[12]
Richard C Edgley, Ensign, Nov. 2003,
98
[13]
Bruce D Porter, A Broken Heart and a
Contrite Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2007
[14]
Joseph Fielding Smith, In Conference
Report, Oct. 1941, p. 93 as quoted in the Doctrine and Covenants Institute Manual,
42
[15]
Psalm 51:17
[16]
Commentary from the Doctrine and Covenants Institute Manual, 127
[17]
Alma 32:16
[18]
Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride,
Ensign, May 1989
[19]
See D&C 38:24; D&C 81:5; D&C 84:106
[20]
See Jacob 4:10; Hel. 15:3; D&C 63:55; D&C 101:4–5; D&C 108:1;
D&C 124:61, 84; D&C 136:31; Prov. 9:8
[21]
See 3 Ne. 13:11, 14; D&C 64:10
[22]
See Mosiah 2:16–17
[23]
See Alma 4:19; Alma 31:5; Alma 48:20
[24]
See D&C 58:43; Mosiah 27:25–26; Alma 5:7–14, 49
[25]
See 3 Ne. 11:11; 3 Ne. 13:33; Moro. 10:32
[26]
Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride,
Ensign, May 1989
[27]
Dieter F Uchtdorf, Pride and the
Priesthood, Ensign, Nov 2010
[28]
See Alma 7:23
[29]
See 3 Ne. 9:20; 3 Ne. 12:19; D&C 20:37; D&C 59:8; Ps. 34:18; Isa.
57:15; Isa. 66:2
[30]
Ezra Taft Benson, Beware of Pride,
Ensign, May 1989
[31]
D&C 136:33
[32]
James E Faust, The Virtues of
Righteous Daughters of God, Ensign, May 2003
[33]
Duties and Blessings of the Priesthood Part A, Lesson 16, Teaching the Gospel
[34]
Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of
Presidents of the Church, Chapter 10, Humble Reliance on God
[35]
Henry B Eyring, Serve with the
Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2010
[36]
James E Faust, Ensign, May 2002, 60
[37]
Bruce D Porter, A Broken Heart and a
Contrite Spirit, Ensign, Nov 2007
[38]
See Doctrine and Covenants 121:34–37
[39]
Dieter F Uchtdorf, Pride and the
Priesthood, Ensign, Nov 2010
[40]
D&C 112:10
[41]
D&C 1:28
[42]
D&C 61:2
[43]
See Hel. 11:11
[44]
Ezra Taft Benson, Cleansing the
Inner Vessel, Ensign, May 1986
[45]
Richard G Scott, Acquiring Spiritual
Knowledge, Ensign, Nov 1993
[46]
Wilford Woodruff, Teachings of
Presidents of the Church, Chapter 10, Humble Reliance on God
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