By: J. Charles “Chuck” Coughlin
In my last blog post, I wrote a bit about humility and its lack of prevalence in our civic life today. Sometimes in our Western culture, as our civic life gets redefined by dogmatic partisanship or by woke narratives, we tend to lose sight of what humility really means and then it’s gone and we aren’t even aware. This is a blind spot.
The history of the word comes from the Latin noun humilitas, related to the adjective humilis, which may be translated as “humble,” but also “grounded” or “from the earth.”
Attributes of humility include upholding social harmony, honor, wisdom, prosperity, and of course, peace. In His revolutionary sermon, the “Gospel on the Mount,” Christ specifically said, “blessed are the meek.”
In East of Eden, by John Steibeck he wrote about a Hebrew word, “Timshel”, literally it means “thou mayest”. It implies that we have a choice in life to look within ourselves or outside for the true source of our strength. Life humbles everyone, certainly we are all destined for the same ending. So, live a life that acknowledges that, and show the gratitude that we all should reflect when acknowledging the gift of life that we all have been given. That is a foundation for a well-lived life.
In today’s culture, some interpret humility as “weakness.” But humility really implies a sense of self-awareness and openness. It is a sense of the vastness of a perspective that is, at its core, an awareness of others first, not thinking less of ourselves but less about ourselves and more about others.
When understood in this manner, you become aware of the debasement of our own culture today, which principally speaks to ourselves, our wants, our desires, and our judgments. We yearn, unaware, for an authority that serves us but not itself. A power that does not exploit us but willingly sacrifices itself to serve others. True justice.
Tim Keller wrote that justice is characterized by radical generosity, universal equality, and a couple of other jarring adjectives which should cause us all to pause and wonder: “If that is true, are we as a species really going to make it?”
For my part, I am very hopeful that we are amid a social upheaval caused by the ending of one era and the beginning of another.
So, as we hear and read vitriolic public discussions about “uniparties,” “election fraud,” “rhinos” or “gender identities,” “wokeism” and “socialists,” let’s all take a deep breath and work on our own humility. Be grateful for the gifts we have been given, treat friends and enemies alike with respect, and be aware that in the end, the only thing we control is our own actions and reactions. My wife taught me that.
On this, the anniversary of Thomas Jefferson’s victory in the House of Representatives over Aaron Burr, let’s give credit to Alexander Hamilton, who endorsed his enemy, Jefferson, over Burr because Hamilton loved his country more than his own hatred.
If we can all try to love our enemies, maybe we will help plant the seeds of a new era. Hamilton certainly did! If we can all try to love our enemies, maybe we will help plant the seeds of a new era. Hamilton certainly did! “Walk Away” a song inspired by JFK’s moon speech, carries that same call forward. A worthy listen.