Humility v. Greatness

Since watching the movie Coach Carter, Nelson Mandela’s quote seems to be reverberating in my heart almost daily like a unyielding challenge.

‘…You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world…We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.’

My response has been ‘how?’ How does a broken person full of frailty manifest the glory of God? How do you step into the greatness that God deposited within you on one hand but maintain the humility that God requires on the other?

Still the challenge did not yield. But, I finally got this answer. Humility is not the opposite of greatness, but of pride. Confidence is not an affront to humility, self-confidence is.

Further, I was reminded of Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. In this one scripture, the perfect balance of humility and confidence is found. The Apostle’s confidence is displayed by declaring that he can do all things. He can conquer whatever comes against him and no situation can present itself that he cannot handle. That is confidence!

However, before concluding that thought he adds ‘through Christ...’ Although he can do all things he recognizes that it is only through Christ that he can accomplish anything. He goes further to say ‘…who strengthens me.’ In this phrase, the Apostle Paul acknowledges the primary thing that causes those who would be great to stumble. He acknowledges that he is weak and that in order for him to have the ability do all things, he is fully dependent the strength of Christ.

This article’s title is an eye-catching error. Greatness does not wage war with humility. In fact, greatness only exists in harmony with humility. Greatness is achieved by realizing who you are in God. But humility, which is required to know God, is perfected in knowing just as certainly who you are without Him.