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I’ve reflected on this mental shift often over the last decade. Those reflections led me to conclude that the way the world defines humility is just faux pride. Popular humility is actually covetousness. Pride compares yourself to others and concludes you’re better; “humility” compares yourself to others and concludes you’re worse. The error – the sin – is in the comparison itself.
The smugness of the comparisons is what horrifies me most about the Zoramites’ prayers atop the Rameumptom. “Oh Holy God . . . thou hast elected us that we shall be saved, whilst all around us are elected to be cast by thy wrath down to hell; for the which holiness, O God, we thank thee.”
In their pride, the Zoramites cast the poor out of their synagogues and “esteemed their brethren as dross.” Unable to pierce through that arrogance, Alma turns to preach to the oppressed outside. He notes their humility due to their poverty, but then pivots: true humility comes from believing the Word of Christ. What follows is one of the Book of Mormon’s most powerful sermons on faith. (Alma 32).
Christian humility is defined by our faith to experiment upon the Word. “To seek justice, to love mercy, and walk humbly before our Lord.” (Micah 6:8). To learn “how to serve God’s children gladly with a pure and gentle love.” Humility is setting aside all comparisons to others so that we can love our neighbors like Christ.— Carolyn
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