True Humility

I know; I know.  It's been two years.  Seriously.  I can't promise this is the beginning of me posting with any sort of regularity or frequency, but I had something I wanted to say.

Yesterday at church I mentioned something I've learned, and I wanted to share it with you.  I think sometimes we have a false idea of humility--that humility is putting ourselves down and treating ourselves like garbage.  I thought this way for decades.  Literally, decades.  Then, with the help of a friend, I realized something.  Christ, our ultimate example of humility and meekness, NEVER did this.  He went around saying He was "the way, the truth and the life" and "the light of the world."  He said He was the Son of God.  And yes, that's because it was, and is, true.  But you're also God's child.  And you AREN'T garbage.  Humility isn't seeing ourselves as worthless.  Humility is seeing ourselves as we truly are--that I am valuable and you are valuable and they are valuable, too.  That God loves each of us equally (though not the same, because He loves me as me, and you as you).  That we each have the capacity to become a God or Goddess.  We are powerful and strong and amazing.  Pride comes in when I start to think that I am better or more valuable than you, OR you are better or more valuable than me.  Think about those you love.  How do you feel when someone says something degrading to them (or when they say something degrading to themselves)?  That is a small piece of how God feels when we say those things to ourselves.  So, old habits die hard, I know.  This is something I struggle with every day.  Less than I used to, but I still struggle.  I won't go into the places I've been, but trust me that we need to stop.  So from now on, when you say something to yourself, ask yourself how you would feel if someone said that thing to someone you love--to your mom or your precious child.  Or if someone you love said it to himself.  If that would upset you, stop rationalizing yourself as an exception to the rule, and STOP SAYING IT.  It won't be easy, but we can change by stopping one negative self-comment at a time.  By telling ourselves the truth as God sees it.  Don't just love your neighbor as yourself; love yourself as you love your neighbor.  Be the kind, loving person you are to everyone else when you talk to yourself, because you matter to Him every bit as much as they do.