Humility is Forceful Too

From my study of I Ching, I am discovering new perspectives on the key Christian values.

I have shared that 'waiting', as taught in the Bible, may not be just waiting idly. Waiting in the mean-time is full of activities, complains and even sabotages. We have to persevere through them all.

We now take a look at another virtue, humility.  It is the hexagram #15 謙 Humility.

Commentary on the Hexagram #15 Humility: 

• “have it” - resources, ability. If don't have them, there is nothing to be humble about.
• “don’t show it” and
• “use it”. When the situation calls for it and if you have it, humility requires you to use it to help and not to hide it!
• It is not passive but quiet aggressive actions without drawing attention to self.

The Additional Wisdom from the 6 Stage-lines are:

        1. develop humility
        2. let your action do the talking
        3. accomplished and yet don’t claim credit but give credit
        4. do more good things
        5. do corrective actions to remove bad things
        6. expand humility by sharing it with others so that they may have it too

Humility, in I Ching's description, is indeed a very active one.

Humility is

1. have-it, yet 
2. don't-showoff-it, but 
3. must use-it. 

It is the ability, resources or authority that one possesses. Most of us understands the first 2, having it and yet not show off with it. The third is what is missing in most definitions of humility.

If one have the ability or resources, one is obliged to use it where the need arises. 

If you have money and there is a person without food, we are to buy food and give to the person who is in need of food. That is called love in action. We are to love not only in words but also in deeds.

Jesus cleansing of the Temple is an act of Humility
We can then understand why the most humble person of all, Jesus Christ, can clean out the corruptions occurring the temples.

In I-Ching, we are to use it in two ways - doing good and removing evils.  

Jesus had done both. He died for our sins and raise us up with new life that overcome sins.

Humility is not passive but active, quietly at least, in using one's ability, resources and authority to do good, and to chase away evils, making corrections and thereby establishing the kingdom of God on earth.

With the 'accomplishing worthwhile mission" in mind, we will fill the need for us to learn and stay humble rather than being boastful. Boastfulness is past oriented but humility is future oriented.

See also: Kingdom Principle: Law of Humility