It isn't easy, but it is necessary.
By Chris Martin
A lot of us misunderstand humility to be self-hatred. A great quote on this misunderstanding from Rick Warren (often misattributed to C. S. Lewis), goes like this: “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.” When I was in high school, my student pastor taught us, “Humility is understanding who you are in light of who God is.” I’m not sure if he got that from someone or came up with it himself, but I think it’s helpful.
These two maxims about humility have guided my understanding of the principle throughout my adult life. We are not called to self-hatred. In fact, self-hatred can be a form of pride, as the self is the focus of the thought! The point of humility is to recognize who we are in light of who God is—that is to say, feeble, broken humans—and focus on the good of others rather than the good (or flagellation) of ourselves.
If we are to effectively push back against the darkness of the social internet, we must recognize that pride is integral to so much of the dysfunction we find online. A simple unwillingness to admit wrongdoing undergirds much of the persistent conflict that can make spending time on the social internet emotionally taxing and perpetually discouraging. For all sorts of reasons, the social internet brings out some of the worst in us. Antagonism thrives on the social internet more than protagonism. Conflict drives engagement, content with lots of engagement spreads the quickest, and, thus, conflict is ever-present and inescapable.
How much better might our experiences online be if large groups of people committed to value humility? What if people admitted they were wrong? What if people didn’t let fear lead them to tear others down? What if we encouraged others rather than seeking attention for ourselves?
What is to stop you and me from being the people who start such a movement? How might we demonstrate that humility is valuable through our engagement online? Let’s look at a few ways. Read More
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