I checked my Facebook account last Friday afternoon. There were several posts concerning awards that were given to staff at the school system’s end of the year celebration.
Teachers who completed 30 years of service to the district were recognized with the presentation of a “golden apple.” They have been “busy bodies,” having devoted their careers to educating students in the Union County Public Schools.
Those retiring received a clock. These folks have also been “busy bodies,” having stayed the course for many years to further educational opportunities and provided services for the students and staff they have served.
There was a new award presented this year to some “up and comers” in our district. They have been “busy bodies” also, and their dedication to their chosen profession is not going unnoticed.
There were also awards presented to teachers of the year. These individuals were selected by their peers to receive this recognition. It is a great honor when peers and employers acknowledge the accomplishments of their fellow workers and employees.
As I mowed my yard later that afternoon, I reflected on a Facebook post regarding one of the recipients of an award that morning. The post was by a family member who found out about the award, though not from the recipient. The post stated that the recipient was so humble that he didn’t even mention it to his family.
I thought about the aspects of humility as I read that post. A good definition for humility is: “freedom from pride or arrogance” (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/humility).
My mind wandered to thoughts of presidential primaries. Several candidates will run for their party’s nomination. In so many cases, these candidates will boast about their past accomplishments. Often, particularly as the field narrows, this turns to denigrating the other candidate(s) with a long list of “how sorry they are” and unfit for the office sought. I always find it amusing that when one nominee is selected that all the other contenders band together to support the very one they spoke so strongly against in the heat of the primary.
Some call it politics—others call it hypocrisy.
I look for those candidates who focus on what they can do to make the country better if they are elected without either boasting about past accomplishments or trashing their rivals. Such patriotic servants don’t have to “change their stripes” or “eat humble pie,” regardless of the outcome. They also don’t have to “eat crow.”
Legislation has been enacted by the Tennessee legislature designating the month of June as “Celebration of Life” month. While this might possibly have political connotations, what better way of celebrating life is there than to live in a state of humility?
Humility does not mean putting oneself down, nor does it mean nonacceptance of recognition for accomplishment. Those who are truly humble just devote themselves to service for the betterment of others with no thought of personal gain or reward.
Consider for a moment the opposite of humility. A Google search, or a search in a good old, hardback, hand-held thesaurus, will provide many antonyms of the term: pride, arrogance, haughtiness, pretentiousness, vanity, vainglory, pomposity, disdain, snobbishness, conceit, superiority, boastfulness, presumption, superciliousness (https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/thesaurus/humility).
There is nothing wrong with a person being proud of personal accomplishments. The problem arises when a people constantly “toot their own horns,” promoting themselves for personal gain, especially if such promotion involves putting other people down. Hopefully, if I’m living as I should, I won’t have to “toot my own horn.” If I have to “toot my own horn,” it’s because no one else thinks it worth “tooting.”
Traditionally, children reared in the Bible belt were taught Christian values, one of which was humility. My own mother taught me not to brag about what God had given me, as He could just as easily take it away. The truth of her statement was proven by Job 1:21 (KJV): “And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Other scriptures throughout the KJV Bible call for the virtue of humility, a few of which are:

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18)

A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit. (Proverbs 29:23)

An high look, and a proud heart, and the plowing of the wicked, is sin. (Proverbs 21:4)

These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. (Proverbs 6: 16-19)

Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the Lord is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. (I Samuel 2:3)

For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. (Zechariah 10: 2)

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. ((Philippians 2:3)

Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. (Proverbs 26:5)

My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. (Psalms 34:2)

And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Matthew 23:12)

Dear Reader, may you live to always celebrate your life in a spirit of humility, not only during Tennessee’s month of Celebration of Life in June, but always. May you live to enjoy the humility of your friends and loved ones as well.

Answer to Question of the Week # 60
A group of artists were having a contest. How did they decide who would go first? (Answer: They drew straws.)

Question of the Week # 61
How did the mathematician reply when asked if he’d like to hear a joke about statistics? (See next week’s article in historicunioncounty.com for the answer.)

Email Thoughts

Being popular on Facebook is like sitting at the ‘cool table’ in the cafeteria of a mental hospital.

I have come to the conclusion politics is too serious a matter to be left to the politicians.
― Charles de Gaulle

I don't mean to brag, but I finished my 14-day diet food supply in 3 hours and 20 minutes.

I started out with nothing—I still have most of it.

About Growing Older:
Eventually you will reach a point when you stop lying about your age and start bragging about it.