Latin Root: Superbia– to place above
Gilligan’s Island character: The Professor
Traditional Corresponding Virtue: Humility

Well, here we are. The last of the seven. Pride.

Argued by many theologians to be the source of the other six, pride is placing ourselves above others. Described by C.S. Lewis as “hell’s biggest seller,” pride can be insidious. An exaggerated self-image can corrupt any good action to make it self-serving; pride can turn righteous anger into wrath, healthy affection into lust, rest into sloth, and so on— it’s all about locating ourselves at the center of our universe.

We don’t have to look far for examples of pride. It’s everywhere in celebrity culture and politics, but it’s also pervasive in workplaces, churches, and everywhere else we frequent. It’s not just the obvious puffed-up folks either; we can even take pride in simplicity or work ethic or other things we would normally think of as good, and this pride leads to overestimating ourselves and falling short. As the old expression goes, pride comes before a fall. But what of pride’s antidote, humility?

St. Augustine once wrote, “It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.” Humility isn’t a matter of self-effacement or deprecation; it’s more akin to self-awareness. If we think of a continuum where pride is at one far extreme and self-abuse is at the other, humility would be somewhere in the middle: an accurate assessment of one’s self and a conscious willingness to take the lower station.

To “take the lower station” means to place the needs of others first while still acknowledging our own needs. It doesn’t mean making a show of generosity or neglecting self entirely. Rather, it’s about making sure you’re using your resources to meet the needs of others.

Author Simon Sinek once observed a group of marines eating lunch, and he noticed the highest ranked officers always ate last. They didn’t jump to the front of the line with the justification of “rank has its privileges.” Rather, they ensured everyone else had enough to eat, and then they looked to their own plates. This is humility— not inflating one’s self, but rather using the tools you have been given to take the lower station and care for others.

Humility can be a tough nut to crack, but it starts with sitting down, quieting the roaming thoughts of our minds, and asking a simple question with infinite answers: “Who am I?” The more honestly we approach this question, the more accessible humility becomes, and the more we can use our gifts to help others.

Question for Reflection:
Who am I?
What are my gifts, strengths, challenges, weaknesses, etc.? Who is around me who may need help, and how can I serve?