Humility vs. Meekness

See also: How Can We Overcome Pride? and A Personal Checklist for Pride

What is Humility?

John 8:28–29, 50 “I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things … for I do always those things that please him. … And I seek not mine own glory.”

Preach My Gospel, Chapter 6: Humility is:

·         willingness to submit to the will of the Lord

·         to give the Lord the honor for what is accomplished.

·         It includes gratitude for His blessings

·         acknowledgment of your constant need for His divine help.

Meekness

Elder Maxwell, “Meekness—a Dimension of True Discipleship” 

The Greek rendition of the word "meek" in the New Testament, by the way, is “gentle and humble.”  Actually, meekness is not an attribute which is essential only in itself, said Moroni. It is also vital because one cannot develop those other crucial virtues—faith, hope, and charity—without meekness. In the ecology of the eternal attributes, these cardinal characteristics are inextricably bound up together. Among them, meekness is often the initiator, facilitator, and consolidator.

Meekness, however, is more than self-restraint; it is the presentation of self in a posture of kindness and gentleness, reflecting certitude, strength, serenity, and a healthy self-esteem and self-control. Furthermore, not only are the meek less easily offended, but they are less likely to give offense to others. Meekness also cultivates in us a generosity in viewing the mistakes and imperfections of others.  

Elder Bednar, “Meek and Lowly of Heart,” 4-18

Meekness is a defining attribute of the Redeemer and is distinguished by righteous responsiveness, willing submissiveness, and strong self-restraint.

The Christlike quality of meekness often is misunderstood in our contemporary world. Meekness is strong, not weak; active, not passive; courageous, not timid; restrained, not excessive; modest, not self-aggrandizing; and gracious, not brash. A meek person is not easily provoked, pretentious, or overbearing and readily acknowledges the accomplishments of others.

Whereas humility generally denotes dependence upon God and the constant need for His guidance and support, a distinguishing characteristic of meekness is a particular spiritual receptivity to learning both from the Holy Ghost and from people who may seem less capable, experienced, or educated, who may not hold important positions, or who otherwise may not appear to have much to contribute.

How do I get Humility?

·         Fast & Pray –

o   Helaman 3:35 “Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea, even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God."

·         Remember –

o   Alma 62:49 -50 "But notwithstanding their riches, or their strength, or their prosperity, they were not lifted up in the pride of their eyes; neither were they slow to remember the Lord their God; but they did humble themselves exceedingly before him. Yea, they did remember how great things the Lord had done for them, that he had delivered them from death, and from bonds, and from prisons, and from all manner of afflictions, and he had delivered them out of the hands of their enemies."

o   Mosiah 4:11–12 I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and our own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins.

·         Listen to the Word

o   Alma 48:20 “And thus they went forth, and the people did humble themselves because of their words, insomuch that they were highly favored of the Lord,"

·         Acknowledge that my Strength Comes from the Lord

o   Alma 26:12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

o              

What are the signs that I am Humble?

·         “Seeketh not her own” Moroni 7

o   Helaman 5:8 "that ye may not do these things that ye may boast, but that ye may do these things to lay up for yourselves a treasure in heaven, yea, which is eternal, and which fadeth not away; yea, that ye may have that precious gift"

o   John 7:16,18 “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. … He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him”

·         Listens to the Counsel of the Lord

o   2 Nephi 9:28–29 When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves. But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.

·         Accepts His Will

o   Matthew 26:39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

·         Accepts Corrections – Doesn’t Take the Word to be Hard

o   1 Nephi 16:1–3 And now my brethren, if ye were righteous and were willing to hearken to the truth, and give heed unto it, that ye might walk uprightly before God, then ye would not murmur because of the truth, and say: Thou speakest hard things against us.

o   2 Timothy 3:1–4

o   Proverbs 13:10

o   Proverbs 15:10 Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die.

o   Proverbs 28:25

What Blessings Come from Humility?

·         Mosiah 4:11–12 Humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come. If ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and he shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true.

·         Alma 32:1–16 And now when Alma heard this, he turned him about, his face immediately towards him, and he beheld with great joy; for he beheld that their afflictions had truly humbled them, and that they were in a preparation to hear the word.

14 And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?

Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe.

Ether 12:27

D&C 12:8

D&C 67:10

D&C 112:10

D&C 136:32–33

Matthew 23:12

How can you recognize pride in yourself?

1 Nephi 15:7–11 Behold, I said unto them: How is it that ye do not keep the commandments of the Lord? How is it that ye will perish, because of the hardness of your hearts? Do ye not remember the things which the Lord hath said?—If ye will not harden your hearts, and ask me in faith, believing that ye shall receive, with diligence in keeping my commandments, surely these things shall be made known unto you.

Text from President Dallin H. Oaks, RootsTech 2018

President & Sister Oaks - RootsTech Family Discovery Day 2018

When individuals and families search out their ancestors’ inspiring actions and words, they will receive strength and direction for their own lives.

25:45 As we observed youth doing family history, we saw them:

·         experience almost instantaneous joy and

·         increased confidence.

·         They become more connected to their families.

·         They no longer feel so alone.

·         They begin to feel a celestial kinship.

·         They learn what it means to feel the Spirit.

·         Family history offers a healing influence and an assurance that each person is precious in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.

An important part of learning about our ancestors should occur in the home. That is where the hearts of the children can most effectively turn to their fathers.

14:00 Emphasize their abilities to bounce back and thrive. Family stories count.

16:58 When individuals and families search out their ancestors' inspiring actions and words, they will receive strength and direction for their own lives.

26:40 To help in our reading to children, we created a compilation of family experiences, spiritual promptings, and miracles called “Tell Me a Story.” Sister Oaks: We recommend that everyone create their own family history book.

34:35 The youth came to understand who they are and came to feel a closeness to their Savior. Share these ideas with your families.

41:34 Brothers and sisters, we live in the last days, wonderful days in which the Lord has promised that knowledge will flow down from Heaven until nothing shall be withheld from those who have endured valiantly for the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Technological resources unthinkable only a short time ago have been revealed and are being eagerly used by the rising generation. We must teach that generation to use it for holy purposes like FamilySearch, not for the evil or even the trivial.

Family history also connects us to heaven. It gives us an eternal perspective. As President Russell M. Nelson has said:

While temple and family history work has the power to bless those beyond the veil, it has an equal power to bless the living. It has a refining influence on those who are engaged in it.

Blog post: The Blessings of FamilyHistory Work and Temple Work

How to Improve our Scripture Study

1.     Do We Feel Like We Fail at Scripture Reading?

LDS.org - Understanding the Difference Between Guilt and Shame, Davis

“For most of my life, I’ve misunderstood guilt. I knew on some level I needed to feel guilt in order to bring me to repentance. I thought true repentance meant I had to feel really bad about myself for a long time. That’s how it works, right?    Wrong. I was mistaking guilt for shame. 

Guilt = I did something bad, something not in line with my values.

Shame = I am bad.

For example, let’s say you haven’t read your scriptures all week. If you think, “Ugh! I’m the worst! I’m never righteous enough,” that is shame. If you think, “Hmm, this business of not reading my scriptures all week—that is not in line with my values. I made a mistake. I better fix it,” that is guilt.”

2.     Why Study our Scriptures More Deeply?

Elder Kim B. Clark, “Encircled About with Fire”

Whatever level of spirituality we now enjoy in our lives; whatever degree of faith in Jesus Christ we now have; whatever strength of commitment and consecration, whatever degree of obedience or hope or charity is ours..., it will not be sufficient for the work that lies ahead.... •We need to educate the rising generation more deeply and more powerfully than we have ever done before or than anyone has ever done before.... •The rising generation needs that deep learning.

Deep learning is inherently a spiritual experience. The rising generation will learn deeply only insofar as the redeeming and strengthening powers of Christ work in their lives, purifying, sanctifying, and qualifying them to receive His grace and the gifts He has prepared for them. They must diligently work and seek learning, but they must also be cleansed through the atoning blood of Christ so that they can receive more light and be taught by the Holy Ghost.

The rising generation needs that deep learning because the world they will face will be both great and terrible—there will be increased light and power from heaven, and there will be even more terrible wickedness and turmoil and confusion. They will need to be grounded in the plain and simple truths of the gospel, the gospel will need to be deep in their hearts, and they will need what President Russell M. Nelson has called resilient faith in Christ: “Why do we need such resilient faith? Because difficult days are ahead. Rarely in the future will it be easy or popular to be a faithful Latter-day Saint.

President Russell M. Nelson, “A Plea to My Sisters”

Attacks against the Church, its doctrine, and our way of life are going to increase. Because of this, we need women who have a bedrock understanding of the doctrine of Christ and who will use that understanding to teach and help raise a sin-resistant generation.

Elder Neil L. Andersen, “A Compensatory Spiritual Power for the Righteous”

When I was a young man growing up in southeastern Idaho, I remember frequently hearing a quote from Elder Heber C. Kimball given in 1867: 

“To meet the difficulties that are coming, it will be necessary for you to have a knowledge of the truth of this work for yourselves. The difficulties will be of such a character that the man or woman who does not possess his personal knowledge or witness will fall. … The time will come when no man nor woman will be able to [stand] on borrowed light.”¹²

More than ever in the 64 years of my life, this prophetic statement by Heber C. Kimball is coming to pass. Deep, continuing conversion is becoming much more important for those desiring to keep their covenants. It is becoming more and more precarious to stand on borrowed light.

As evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory spiritual power for the righteous. As the world slides from its spiritual moorings, the Lord prepares the way for those who seek Him, offering them greater assurance, greater confirmation, and greater confidence in the spiritual direction they are traveling. The gift of the Holy Ghost becomes a brighter light in the emerging twilight.

My brothers and sisters, as evil increases in the world, there is a compensatory power, an additional spiritual endowment, a revelatory gift for the righteous.

I like to think of it this way: If two people are walking together along a very gentle terrain, one lantern is often sufficient. But when the time comes, as it does with each child, that he or she steps away from us to take his or her own journey, our light is no longer sufficient to light his or her way. And while one may be linked tightly to a companion—if you are fortunate enough to have a companion of faith—if we unexpectedly face jagged rocks and uneven cliffs, each needs his or her own lantern to light the path.

3.     How Can We Improve our Study? Here are a couple of ideas that have worked for me. Bring some ideas that have worked for you.

1.      Pray to know how to study better: Pres. Nelson, The Price of Priesthood Power

Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power? The Lord will teach you. Are you willing to search the scriptures and feast on the words of Christ—to study earnestly in order to have more power? If we will humbly present ourselves before the Lord and ask Him to teach us, He will show us how to increase our access to His power.

2

.      Use Colors to Mark Your Scriptures

Example:

·         The Strengthening aspect of Christ’s Atonement

o   Strength, power, grace

·         The Redeeming Aspect of Christ’s Atonement, repentance

·         The Savior

·         Holy Ghost, revelation

·         Strategies of Satan, sin, and evil

·         Family

3.      Three Approaches to Scripture Study – Elder Bednar, Reservoir of Living Water

I want to review with you three basic ways or methods of obtaining living water from the scriptural reservoir:

(1) reading the scriptures from beginning to end,

(2) studying the scriptures by topic, and

(3) searching the scriptures for connections, patterns, and themes.

4.      Always begin with some time in the Book of Mormon:

PRESIDENT MONSON:

This morning I speak about the power of the Book of Mormon and the critical need we have as members of this Church to study, ponder, and apply its teachings in our lives. If you are not reading the Book of Mormon each day, please do so. If you will read it prayerfully and with a sincere desire to know the truth, the Holy Ghost will manifest its truth to you.

My dear associates in the work of the Lord, I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the Book of Mormon each day. As we do so:

1.      We will be in a position to hear the voice of the Spirit,

2.      to resist temptation, to overcome doubt and fear, and

3.      to receive heaven’s help in our lives.

I so testify with all my heart.

PRESIDENT NELSON

3 Promises by President Nelson: My dear brothers and sisters,

1)    I promise that as you prayerfully study the Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisions—every day. 

2)    I promise that as you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will receive answers to your own questions and direction for your own life.

3)    I promise that as you daily immerse yourself in the Book of Mormon, you can be immunized against the evils of the day, even the gripping plague of pornography and other mind-numbing addictions.

PRESIDENT HINCKLEY:  I promise you [if you] read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives:

1.      An added measure of the Spirit

2.      A strengthened resolution to obey

3.      A stronger testimony of Jesus

   

    PRESIDENT BENSON: 

    President Ezra Taft Benson, Cleansing the Inner Vessel, April 1986

“ I counsel you... to make reading in the Book of Mormon a few minutes each day a lifelong practice. 

There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.  The power:

1.      To resist temptation

2.      To avoid deception

3.      Stay on strait path

When you begin to hunger and thirst after the Book of Mormon, you will find life in greater and greater abundance. 

PRESIDENT KIMBALL:

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Spencer W. Kimball

I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away.  If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns.

Grace and the Enabling and Strengthening Power of the Atonement from Recent Conference talks

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf , “The Gift of Grace,” April 2015

I have tried to understand the Savior’s Atonement with my finite mind, and the only explanation I can come up with is this: God loves us deeply, perfectly, and everlastingly. I cannot even begin to estimate “the breadth, and length, and depth, and height … [of] the love of Christ.”⁷

A powerful expression of that love is what the scriptures often call the grace of God—the divine assistance and endowment of strength by which we grow from the flawed and limited beings we are now into exalted beings of “truth and light, until [we are] glorified in truth and [know] all things.”⁸

First: Grace Unlocks the Gates of Heaven

Even if we were to serve God with our whole souls, it is not enough, for we would still be “unprofitable servants.”¹² We cannot earn our way into heaven; the demands of justice stand as a barrier, which we are powerless to overcome on our own.

But all is not lost. The grace of God is our great and everlasting hope.

But the grace of God does not merely restore us to our previous innocent state. If salvation means only erasing our mistakes and sins, then salvation—as wonderful as it is—does not fulfill the Father’s aspirations for us. His aim is much higher: He wants His sons and daughters to become like Him.

Second: Grace Opens the Windows of Heaven

Another element of God’s grace is the opening of the windows of heaven, through which God pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and “be perfect[ed] in Christ.”²²

Though we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong.²³

Throughout our lives, God’s grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace helps us become our best selves.

Are we like Simon? Are we confident and comfortable in our good deeds, trusting in our own righteousness? Are we perhaps a little impatient with those who are not living up to our standards? Are we on autopilot, going through the motions, attending our meetings, yawning through Gospel Doctrine class, and perhaps checking our cell phones during sacrament service?

Do we understand our indebtedness to Heavenly Father and plead with all our souls for the grace of God?

Salvation cannot be bought with the currency of obedience; it is purchased by the blood of the Son of God.²⁶ Thinking that we can trade our good works for salvation is like buying a plane ticket and then supposing we own the airline. 

Why Then Obey?

If grace is a gift of God, why then is obedience to God’s commandments so important? 

Our obedience to God’s commandments comes as a natural outgrowth of our endless love and gratitude for the goodness of God. This form of genuine love and gratitude will miraculously merge our works with God’s grace. 

Grace is a gift of God, and our desire to be obedient to each of God’s commandments is the reaching out of our mortal hand to receive this sacred gift from our Heavenly Father.

All We Can Do

The prophet Nephi made an important contribution to our understanding of God’s grace when he declared, “We labor diligently … to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.”³¹

However, I wonder if sometimes we misinterpret the phrase “after all we can do.” We must understand that “after” does not equal “because.”

We are not saved “because” of all that we can do. Have any of us done all that we can do? Does God wait until we’ve expended every effort before He will intervene in our lives with His saving grace?

Many people feel discouraged because they constantly fall short. They know firsthand that “the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”³² They raise their voices with Nephi in proclaiming, “My soul grieveth because of mine iniquities.”³³

I am certain Nephi knew that the Savior’s grace allows and enables us to overcome sin.³⁴ This is why Nephi labored so diligently to persuade his children and brethren “to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God.”³⁵

After all, that is what we can do! And that is our task in mortality!

Elder Dallin H. Oaks, “Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” October 2015

He therefore knows our struggles, our heartaches, our temptations, and our suffering, for He willingly experienced them all as an essential part of His Atonement. And because of this, His Atonement empowers Him to succor us—to give us the strength to bear it all.

Isaiah taught that the Messiah would bear our “griefs” and our “sorrows” (Isaiah 53:4). Isaiah also taught of His strengthening us: “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10).

We see that because of His Atonement, the Savior has the power to succor—to help—every mortal pain and affliction. Sometimes His power heals an infirmity, but the scriptures and our experiences teach that sometimes He succors or helps by giving us the strength or patience to endure our infirmities.

There are millions of God-fearing people who pray to God to be lifted out of their afflictions. Our Savior has revealed that He “descended below all things” (D&C 88:6). As Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught, “Having ‘descended below all things,’ He comprehends, perfectly and personally, the full range of human suffering.” We might even say that having descended beneath it all, He is perfectly positioned to lift us and give us the strength we need to endure our afflictions. We have only to ask.

I know these things to be true. Our Savior’s Atonement does more than assure us of immortality by a universal resurrection and give us the opportunity to be cleansed from sin by repentance and baptism. His Atonement also provides the opportunity to call upon Him who has experienced all of our mortal infirmities to give us the strength to bear the burdens of mortality. He knows of our anguish, and He is there for us.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson, “The Divine Gift of Repentance,” October 2011

Repentance is the necessary condition, and the grace of Christ is the power by which “mercy can satisfy the demands of justice” (Alma 34:16). Our witness is this:

“We know that justification [or forgiveness of sins] through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true;

“And we know also, that sanctification [or purification from the effects of sin] through the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is just and true, to all those who love and serve God with all their mights, minds, and strength” (D&C 20:30–31).

It would mock the Savior’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane and on the cross for us to expect that He should transform us into angelic beings with no real effort on our part. Rather, we seek His grace to complement and reward our most diligent efforts (see 2 Nephi 25:23). Perhaps as much as praying for mercy, we should pray for time and opportunity to work and strive and overcome. Surely the Lord smiles upon one who desires to come to judgment worthily, who resolutely labors day by day to replace weakness with strength.

Seeing the Hand of the Lord in My Life Each Day

I loved this quote when I first heard it, and I have tried off and on to make it a daily practice. What I have finally found that works for me is to ask during my evening prayers if I have seen the hand of the Lord that day. Then I dictate the details in a note to myself and then I write it up the next morning in my journal. 

I change his paragraph into a bullet list format because everyone of the the promises in the bullet list has happened to me. The biggest one for me is I am "ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers." I am so grateful for President Eyring's suggestion.

Pres. Henry B. Eyring, “O Remember, Remember,” Oct. 2007

I wrote down a few lines every day for years. I never missed a day no matter how tired I was or how early I would have to start the next day. Before I would write, I would ponder this question: “Have I seen the hand of God reaching out to touch us or our children or our family today?”

As I kept at it, something began to happen:

• ·       As I would cast my mind over the day, I would see evidence of what God had done for one of us that I had not recognized in the busy moments of the day.
• ·      As that happened, I realized that trying to remember had allowed God to show me what He had done.
• ·      More than gratitude began to grow in my heart. Testimony grew.
• ·      I became ever more certain that our Heavenly Father hears and answers prayers.
• ·      I felt more gratitude for the softening and refining that come because of the Atonement of the Savior Jesus Christ.
• ·      And I grew more confident that the Holy Ghost can bring all things to our remembrance—even things we did not notice or pay attention to when they happened.