20 Humble Quotes to Help You Follow Him
Jesus life was an example of humility and love. We are called to follow His example not just His teachings. It’s easy to misunderstand the truth about humility and love, because it’s too easy to make everything about us. So as we prepare for our Savior’s humble birth, let’s look at some quotes and verses that will help us follow in His steps…
Do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. The higher your structure is to be, the deeper must be your foundation. ~ St. Augustine
Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Philippians 2:3
Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less. ~ C.S.Lewis
Pride leads to destruction; a proud attitude brings ruin. Proverbs 16:18
True humility is contentment. ~ Henri Frederic Amiel
Humble yourself in the Lord’s presence, and he will honor you. James 4:10
“These are the few ways we can practice humility:
- To speak as little as possible of one’s self.
- To mind one’s own business.
- Not to want to manage other people’s affairs.
- To avoid curiosity.
- To accept contradictions and correction cheerfully.
- To pass over the mistakes of others.
- To accept insults and injuries.
- To accept being slighted, forgotten and disliked.
- To be kind and gentle even under provocation.
- Never to stand on one’s dignity.
- To choose always the hardest.” ~ Mother Teresa
Seek the Lord, all who are humble, and follow His commands. Seek to do what is right and to live humbly. Zephaniah 2:3
“Humility is perfect quietness of heart. It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing that is done to me, to feel nothing done against me. It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or despised. It is to have a blessed home in the Lord, where I can go in and shut the door, and kneel to my Father in secret, and am at peace as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and above is trouble.” ~ Andrew Murray
Human pride will be brought down, and human arrogance will be humbled. Only the Lord will be exalted on that day of judgment. Isaiah 2:11
“Every one is worthy of love, except him who thinks that he is. Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling.” ~ Oscar Wilde
Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love. Ephesians 4:2
A man can counterfeit love, he can counterfeit faith, he can counterfeit hope and all the other graces, but it is very difficult to counterfeit humility. ~ D. L. Moody
Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude. 1 Peter 3:8
How do you know if we have a servant’s heart? By how you act when we are treated like one! ~ Unknown
The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God’s help be encouraged. Psalm 69:32
“Will we fulfill God’s purpose, or will we shrink back and live a comfortable, self-centered life?” ~ Rick Warren
So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. 1 Peter 5:6
It horribly skews the meaning of the cross when contemporary prophets of self-esteem say that the cross is a witness to my infinite worth… The biblical perspective is that the cross in a witness to the infinite worth of God’s glory, and a witness to the immensity of the sin of my pride. ~ John Piper
You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God. Philippians 2:5-8a
Let’s talk: Which quote or verse spoke to you about humility?
While all of the quotes help define & direct humility in my life, the quote “Humility is not thinking less of yourself. It is thinking of yourself less.” by C.S.Lewis hits home the most. For so long, I felt like I needed to think less of myself in order to be truly humble. At the same time, I knew this wasn’t right because I was miserable. As I came to realize that I am God’s masterpiece, which says a lot about my value in Him, I realized that humility did not mean I thought less of myself – that I needed to put myself down in my attitude, actions & words – but that it meant I didn’t focus on glory for myself. I could live knowing I have immense value in Him, but my focus was on Him and not on self.
Kari, I think this is so easily confused. I used to think exactly the same thing. God gets the glory when we are good stewards of all of His gifts and blessings – doing our best with joy, enthusiasm, and gratitude make life much more enjoyable. I really believe it’s comparing ourselves and trying to be “better than” is what too often gets us into trouble.