Mark Nepo:The right to be heard does not automatically include the right to be taken seriously.
Stephen Covey:To listen is to continually give up all expectation and to give our attention, completely and freshly, to what is before us, not really knowing what we will hear or what that will mean. In the practice of our days, to listen is to lean in, softly, with a willingness to be changed by what we hear.
Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
It is unwise to be too sure of one's own wisdom. It is healthy to be reminded that the strongest might weaken and the wisest might err.
No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong.
But goodness alone is never enough. A hard cold wisdom is required, too, for goodness to accomplish good. Goodness without wisdom invariably accomplishes evil.
I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business.
4 comments:
Humility often looks like humiliation when the source of humility is outside of one's own heart. -- Kansas Bob
If someone is "forcing" humility on you, is it even humility at all? Like you said, that sounds like humiliation. I think humility is something we discover in ourselves. But that discovery can certainly come about from actions outside ourselves. Someone doing an unexpected kindness for me can be an outside source for a humbling experience within me, for example. What do you think?
The quotes came from a search I did on humility and wisdom. I was feeling like I do sometimes when I realize I can't know the "answers." I guess I think we can all use a dose of humility at times, just so we don't forget where we came from.
Thanks,
Carrie
Numbers 12 is a good example of what humlity and humiliation looks like. Moses is called meek/humble and Miriam is humiliated. I think that, in the kingdom, humility is not optional. You humble yourself (via grace) or God will humble you - and often the latter resembles humiliation.
Thanks for the reference, Bob. I understand better what you are saying. I wasn't sure what angle you were coming from, but I agree with your assessment here. In the Kingdom, humility is not optional. Thanks again.
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