At a time when my life was in the doldrums and spiritual impetus seemed lacking, a friend gave me two copies of the Christian Science Sentinel—one on the topic of humility and the other on envy. After she handed them to me, I wondered why she’d selected these two particular issues. Did I envy others? I’d never before thought that envy was a part of my mental makeup. And I wondered—was I lacking in humility?
As I closely examined my past actions, I realized that somehow I’d felt that my voice and my opinion were being silenced by others. Perhaps in an effort to make my voice heard, I was often overly enthusiastic and not always a good listener. And this could be perceived by others as a lack of humility. I decided to strive to be a better listener and to think more about others’ points of view, which I felt was a reflection of true humility. Seeing things from another’s standpoint can often be helpful in expressing more compassion, and it allows us to learn from others.
In my prayers, I endeavored to understand how to be a patient listener and yet not feel silenced. I also stepped back and stopped feeling as if I always had to do everything for others. I needed to see that in all areas of my life—home, church, and work—God made each of His children capable of rising to the tasks before them. And I found that I loved seeing the people around me grow spiritually.
