Picking up on last week’s post about practicing humility — humility is a conscious choice to place God’s plans before our own plans and egos.
Ego is a complex thing. On one hand, ego enables us to make order out of chaos by navigating the tensions that exist among our human urges and needs and the external realities and norms of society. Used with moderation and in a spirit of love, ego can be a somewhat productive thing.
The danger of ego, however, lies in the limitations it imposes through separation. Ego is tied to our sense of personal identity. Within the physical world, our identities are far too often defined through comparions of ourselves to others, pushing us to “fit in” and to “be seen” in a world where the “kingdom of self” often reigns supreme.
Ego goes where the crowds are — and where there appears to be safety in numbers. But as St. Paul reminds us, Jesus is not calling us to spend our lives and energies focused on what the world views as good and acceptable. Jesus is calling you and me to discover what is good and acceptable in the eyes of His Father:
“Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Romans 12:2
A lack of humility is a dangerous thing. Old Testament prophets shared visions of the fall of Lucifer (the devil), one of God’s most magnificent and beloved angels. Here is Ezekiel’s description of how pride and ego turned an angel into a devil:
“You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty … with an annointed guardian cherub, I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked … Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom for the sake of your splendor. [So] I cast you to the ground; I exposed you before kings.” Ezekiel 28: 12, 14. 17
The same danger exists for our souls. As Christians, we recognize that we are mind, body, heart and soul. Jesus himself described the importance of loving God “‘with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your [bodily] strength.'” (Mark 12: 30)
So our earthly lives present a starting point for the ultimate journey of our souls. Because we are more than our temporal bodies, the actions we take on earth will define how we spend eternity. Although the choice to let go of ego and to practice humility is ours to make, Jesus is fighting hard for our souls. A friend of mine who is a Jesuit priest once said:
“Christ comes into our lives to strike His sword between our egos and our souls. It is a tough act, separating the ego from the soul. But in following Christ, we can find a way to separate and distance ourselves from ego.”
This image of Christ is sobering and dramatic. My friend shared these words during his homily at a Sunday mass. He had moved away from the pulpit and was standing halfway back the center aisle of the church, among all of us. He paused for a few seconds, encouraging us to think about what he had just said.
We all possess beauty and love and gifts that are unique to us as individual persons and souls. Humility enables us to slow down, to listen for God, and to understand who we are in the eyes of the Lord. I hear God whisper on my heart:
Distance yourself from pride and the worry of not being enough or having enough. Your ego holds you back. Stop seeking the affirmations of the world. Can you not see that these worldly things will never be enough to fill the longing in your heart? Turn to Me for meaning and purpose. Let Me show you how to use the gifts I’ve created for you and within you. Trust that I am with you and that I will never allow you to fall. (Psalm 46:5) I promise that as you search for Me, you will find Me. In finding Me, you will find your true and beautiful self.
Practicing humility gives God the power to transform us from ego to love. I do not think that God ever intended that these transformations occur on our deathbeds. God wants us to realize our power and purpose in Him right now, among the living.
Only Jesus lived out God’s plan for His human life perfectly. And He confirms the power of humility to draw us closer to God:
Jesus said, “‘Blessed are the poor in spirit [or those who recognize their complete need for God’s saving grace and wisdom], for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.'” Matthew 5: 3
Our humility is precious in the gentle eyes of the Father. It frees us to live and love deeply, as God intends for each of us:
“Thus says the Lord, ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him who glories [find] glory in this — that he undertands and knows Me, and knows that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 9: 23-24
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