“O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! —Psalms 95:6
“He who would save his life must lose it.” —Jesus
“The secret to success is not in what you acquire, but in what you eliminate.” —a Zen master
It was there all along, like a vast underground river running beneath the desert, only later to be discovered and tapped for its resources. Humility is like that. We are familiar with the term. It is a foundation of much spiritual instruction. In Christian teaching it draws an example from the humble birth and life of Jesus. The lives of Christian saints and those of other traditions witness to it. In my ramblings through the Judeo-Christian scriptures and others, I was struck by how it has penetrated religious thought and how central it indeed was to their practice. The conclusion is clear: humility is a complete method of spirituality. It creates the essential condition by which transformation takes place. From this point it moves outward to caress and reshape the social order, from one’s immediate circle to the world at large.
There is no better starting point than in the writings of the venerable Lao Tzu. He writes that the Way of Heaven is like the drawing of a bow which brings down what is high and raises up what is low. He observes that he who is self-approving does not shine, and that he who is great must make humility his base. Humility is counted among the “three precious things”, which also include gentleness and frugality. It is wrapped in paradox: the man of highest virtue appears lowly; he who is perfect appears to be lacking; failure is the foundation of success; only he who does nothing for his life’s sake can be said to value his life (closely echoing Jesus’ “die to live”); softness and weakness, as in the newborn child, are the way of life—the strength and rigidity of later life are the way of death (echoing “be as little children”); to rest in weakness is strength. There you have it—a digest of this great teaching.
I have included several passages from the writings of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada (1896-1977) in this post because, for me, they carry the sense of Divine Personhood particularly well as it relates to the subject of humility.
Humility is a means, not an end. It enables flow, engagement, spiritual depth, transformation, fulfillment. It is the stream which we enter to carry us to our destination. It has a hidden power to reshape, to redirect. It is a school of spiritual knowledge. Its simplicity makes it accessible to all.
Prior to the Christian revelation, humility runs through the Psalms, the prophets, and the legal canon of the Old Testament. This establishes its position as a key principle in Judeo-Christianity. Now there are concepts in spiritual literature and then there are mega-concepts. This is one of the latter. Its importance is inescapable. Furthermore, it is what people really need. It is what God requires of us. It is necessary for the world’s survival. It is the key to what we seek and value. It is the reason for this post.
The great treasure and gift of humility opens us up to the fullness of the divine light. It channels that light into the world in which we live. It is a real-time, complete, self-sufficient living meditation. It is not so much learned as to be discovered as a process, a simple but complete practice, to be entered into and taken upon oneself as one would a garment. It is contained in the teaching of Christ and is an expression of what other world religious have proclaimed and sought. Its values are those of the highest ethical content. It opens the possibility for a life adventure which will reshape us and those whom we touch.
I have made the Jerusalem Bible my principal reference, chosen for both the clarity of its language and its helpful notes. Alternate readings are included from the King James Version(KJV), because of its unmatched poetry. Occasional passages from the Revised Standard (RSV) provide additional variety and depth. Other translations, not included here, shed their particular light for the curious reader.
Among the questions we might ask about humility are these:
- Is it Biblical? Yes. Hebrew and Christian scriptures point to it. It is the essence of Christ’s teaching on how to enter the Kingdom of God.
- Is it universal? Yes. Holy men and women of diverse spiritual traditions have sought and spoken of this truth.
- Is it essential? Yes. It answers the question, “What does God require of us?” It is also a self-sufficient spiritual practice. It allows us to enter the presence of the divine and to carry it with us in daily life.
- Is it practical and effective? Yes. It is the key to realizing our own spiritual development. It leads to a re-shaping of our attitudes and relationships resulting in healing and mutual benefit for ourselves and our world. In fact, and this is no hyperbole, it may be the key to the survival of the human species.
The problem which exists within us is called “original sin”, but what is it, actually? It is our natural human tendency, driven by our wayward emotions and our minds, to worship an egocentric existence. The sin of pride first appears at the beginning of the Biblical narrative. In the story of Adam and Eve, Adam is warned, “…of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you are not to eat, for on the day you eat of it you shall most surely die.” Jerusalem Bible notes provide clarity: “…it does not mean omniscience, which fallen man does not possess; nor is it moral discrimination, for fallen man already had it and God could not refuse it to a rational being. It is the power of deciding for himself what is good and evil and of acting accordingly, a claim to complete moral independence by which man refuses to recognize his status as a created being. The first sin was an attack on God’s sovereignty, a sin of pride. This rebellion is described in concrete terms as the…transgression of an express command of God for which the text uses the image of a forbidden fruit.”
Our sad human history has been one of unspeakable cruelty and depravity. We must somehow, individually and collectively, turn back and purge ourselves of these negative tendencies to restore our original nature. But the means we use must be effective. Our efforts are deficient for two reasons: First, if we use meditation as a “feel good” exercise, it only supports our selfish nature and does nothing to break through to the greater reality. Second, is the equally selfish act to place our emphasis upon personal salvation. As long as we are caught up in ourselves the problem will persist. Both of these strategies are doomed to failure. There is a greater life, a truer reality. Jesus has pointed to it, and as hard as the truth may be, our notions of meditative self-help or self-preservation are still rooted in the self. Where we must go is beyond that. Humility strips away pretension: it forces us to look at ourselves in the glaring and honest life of truth. Only by acknowledgement and repentance can we be free to move forward. It transforms the quality of our spiritual “work”. The saying “Zen mind, beginner’s mind” applies here: a beginner brings freshness, curiosity, enthusiasm, and a willingness to learn to the task ahead. Many who could continue to grow and contribute cease to do so and are crippled by their jaded attitude, thinking they have known and seen it all. The ability to self-renew, to begin each day as a truly new opportunity, perhaps doing something differently, perhaps changing one’s approach, perhaps seeking a new path to follow—all come from humility. Again, we may learn from Lao Tzu meant in his wonderful analogy: “Those on the way of Tao, like water, need to accept where they find themselves; and that may often be where water goes to the lowest places, and that is right.”
There are several “windows” or major topics by which the teaching of humility may be presented. First, Yahweh requires our humility and submission to enter into his presence. Humility is more than a personal quality alone—it is something which is desired of us by the Divine Person, Yahweh, God. It is also the primary quality by which we enter into the presence of the Divine. It is an essential attribute leading to God’s nature revealed to us, and our deliverance by God. We humble ourselves before Yahweh, yet he also humbles us (we are often humbled by life’s circumstances); but paradoxically it also exalts us. We are dependent upon Yahweh for life, who holds both death and life in his hands. We are assured that God is mindful of the humble, and that they easily enter into his presence. The qualities of humility that should encompass our lives is emphasized, using at times the Old Testament image of circumcision, but in its spiritual rather than physical sense. Jesus developed and expanded them. Among other related themes resulting from the flowering of humility are sacrifice (“die to live”); “the first will be last and the last first”; the quality of childlikeness; poverty and simplicity; and trusting in providence (“consider the lilies of the field”). Humility functions as the key to related areas: repentance, the search for purity, and the search for wisdom. The prophets warn us of the fate of those who depart from this path, foretelling the judgment which will inevitably fall upon the obstinate. Some may think it is the judgment of God, but without doubt we bring this judgment upon ourselves. Breaking the covenantal relationship is sin.
A word about the Word! Jerusalem Bible notes to John 3:11 speak of the “witness” or “evidence” of the Word of God: “Jesus does not speak on his own initiative; he declares what he has seen ‘with the Father’; It is the Father’s words and teaching that he hands on to man; he is himself the Word. This Word is not idle: it calls all things from nothing, it calls the dead from the tomb; It gives life to the soul; It confers the Spirit, the source of immortality…and so makes men children of God. It is required only that man should have faith in the Word, ‘dwell’ in it, ‘keep’ it, obey its command which is love. Nevertheless, the Word is enigmatic and difficult; It makes its way only into humble hearts. Those who hear it, therefore, respond differently; some believe, others go away disappointed, in spite of the ‘signs’; this same rejected Word will judge them at the last day.”
The practice of humility is a universal concern and not one of Christianity alone. Were humility only a Judeo-Christian concept we should suspect it. Its universality in the ancient traditions which have nourished our own, serve to validate it, as well as its persistence in modern thought. In addition to Taoism, the Hindu and Buddhist scriptures are important not because I wish to turn my Christianity into another form but because those ancient sages grappled with and validated the very truths that Judeo-Christianity sought. To cite one example, The Maitri Upanishad describes the journey to the Divine and the need for freedom from self-conceit. This is “the arrow which strikes down the first guard of the door to Brahma, which is egoism”. Maitri 6:28 describes this person as “he who has confusion as his crown, covetousness and envy as his ear-rings, lassitude, drunkenness, and impurity as his staff, lord of self-conceit…” The religious mendicant, or seeker, must seize the bow “whose string is anger and whose stick is lust” to cross over the spiritual divide with the “raft” of the sacred syllable Om (the Judeo-Christian Amen).
When one creates a space in the inner being which is no longer filled with self, the animating Spirit rushes in, much like a reservoir fills with fresh water during the rainy season. I can sense this when Jesus speaks of the promise of living water in John 7:38, inviting all who are (spiritually) thirsty to come to him, assuring the believer that “from his breast [KJV “belly”] shall flow fountains (streams, rivers) of living water. This can actually be felt as a physical sensation in the solar plexus [a nerve plexus in the abdomen that is situated behind the stomach and in front of the aorta and the diaphragm, containing several ganglia distributing nerve fibers to the viscera], so there is a physical counterpart of entering into the divine mystery.
We have heard that “the admission of ignorance is the beginning of wisdom”. Here, humility is the conduit of further learning and skill. The starting point is to be critical of our own powers of understanding. It is the foundation for any future progress we may hope for.
The supreme paradox of spiritual wisdom, regardless of tradition, is that we must “die to live”. This means breaking down the walls of our own egoic existence to allow the light and power and force of the divine to enter. Aldous Huxley sums this up brilliantly: “The more of the creature, the less of God.” There is no other way. Humility is an all-encompassing, self-sufficient practice. It is the true means to the end we seek. Once it takes hold of us, we carry it with us as a living, waking meditation, a constant practice which may be performed effortlessly and spontaneously. This is the wisdom that surpasses philosophical language, such as that spoken of by St. Paul in the opening chapter of First Corinthians. Here in verses 18-20 (KJV) he states, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?” The entire philosophic enterprise has been turned on its head, and rightly so.
Meditation in the spirit of humility does not seek to edify the self but to sacrifice it for the greater world—to break down the walls that have built up around it. It is not a feel-good exercise, but one of self-deconstruction. Does this surprise you? Like the Phoenix, it is only from the ashes of our prior self that we will rise. We are the problem and we must get ourselves out of the way The Buddhist nirvanais one of self-reduction, the lessening of our individual light that a greater light may arise. This lessening of ourselves allows us to get out of the way of the divine process. It is important for us to comprehend that in the spiritual sense we can neither have nor hold nor possess anything—all we have, all we are, is a reflection of the divine. This not only relieves us of the responsibility for our own destiny but allows us to rid ourselves of all that would limit us in our entry to and union with the divine.
The practice of bowing down appears in Psalms 95:6: “O come, let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!” This bowing down (or kneeling) can be both literal and physical. In addition to its practice in other traditions, prostration in prayer is still practiced in Coptic monasteries. It was one of the most ancient Christian liturgical practices, to be later adopted by Islam.
The Sanskrit word for stick is danda. From this comes dandavat, to fall “flat like a stick” (danda). In the Guru Gita, verse 51: “One should, in thought, word and deed, always worship the Guru with full prostrations placing the whole body flat in front of the Guru. He should never feel shy in doing such prostrations.” And in notes to this verse: “Dandavat literally means that the disciple should fall flat like a stick let down. The disciple should be free from shyness of all sorts. He should be devoid of ego….Such prostrations indicate that the disciple is free from egoism, that he is suppliant to the Guru and ready to carry out all his behests unselfishly and unreservedly”.
I must express the view, and the reason for this website, that we do not bow down to some abstract metaphysical principle—we bow to a living spiritual presence. Swami Prabhupada makes the point that surrender to the Lord is the superior spiritual practice. He also points out that a relativistic universalism which does not end in falling at the feet of the Supreme Lord is of no avail. Referring to Krishna as Lord, he writes, “Krsna ultimately advises that one give up all other ways and modes of worship and fully surrender unto Him only (Bhagavad Gita 18:66). Only those who are cleansed of all sinful reactions can have such unflinching faith the Supreme Lord. Others will continue hovering on the material platform with their paltry ways of worship and thus will be misled from the real path under the false impression that all paths lead to the same goal….The Lord comes here to reestablish the principles of religion, and the basic principle is the development of an attitude of surrender to Him.” [Śri Īśopanisad (Discovering the Original Person)]….He observes that for “one who surrenders at the very beginning… the Lord at once takes charge of such a surrendered soul and frees him from the reactions to his sinful acts.” [Śri Iśopanisad, quoting Bhagavad-gita 18:66]. Christians can easily apply these observations to their relationship to Christ.
Humility, as we have learned from Lao Tzu, is a paradox, perhaps the greatest and most inexplicable of them all: “become as dust” to inherit the fulness of the universe. The Bible is full of references to bowing down, to becoming as dust, to receive a blessing from the Lord. Paradoxically, this increases rather than diminishes self-esteem. Harry Emerson Fosdick, in his book A Guide to Understanding the Bible, makes this point: “the more self-respect men achieve, the more they are plunged into self-deprecation. Only when personality has emerged from the social mass into a high status of its own, as possessing spiritual value and possibility, can the sense of failure become acute. The more elevated the standards the more inevitable humility becomes; only when men think highly of themselves do they begin to think humbly of themselves, so that self-respect and self-deprecation, instead of being antithetical, are two sides of the same experience.”
To be humble is to be humbled: Leviticus 26:41 ascribes the carrying off of the people of Israel into bondage as a humbling of their “uncircumcised hearts” that they may atone for their sins. Those ancient Hebrews were humbled by their wilderness experience. We should count ourselves “happy” to be among those whom God corrects, as in Job 5:17-18 [KJV] “Behold, happy is the man [or woman] whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty: For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole. ” The Judaic teaching of the discipline of God appeared in a 19th Century educational movement called Musar, taking its name from Proverbs 1:2 “to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding.” This school of Hebraic thought made significant contributions to Jewish ethics into the 20th Century.
Isaiah 2:9-17 takes an apocalyptic view, looking toward the end times when all shall be judged. “Human pride will lower its eyes, the arrogance of men will be humbled”] and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low.” [KJV] “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. And in Isaiah 5:15: [KJV] “And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.” [JB] “The arrogance of men will be brought low”] It is a terrifying vision in Isaiah 10:33: [KJV] “Behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror: and the high ones of stature shall be hewn down, [JB “the proudest are brought down”] and the haughty shall be humbled.” This is not only a metaphorical “fear of God”—it is real fear.
Isaiah’s vision is not content to dwell only upon destruction. It concludes with the good news of the Kingdom of God, and with hope that we shall dwell there. The humble are promised that humility will bring us to the place of God, that he may dwell with us, and that our spirit will be revived, receiving new life from him. This echoes the Christian teaching of the New Man. Isaiah 57:15 reads: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, which him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” [JB: “I live in a high and holy place, but I am also with the contrite and humble spirit, to give the humbled spirit new life, to revive contrite hearts.”]
Humility and repentance are closely linked. Our human nature is what it is. We must turn, and turn, and turn again to the path of righteousness from which we so frequently stray. Yahweh asks in Exodus 10:3: “How much longer will you refuse to submit to me?” [KJV “How much longer will you refuse to humble thyself before me?”]. Yahweh tells the people in 2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people who bear my name [KJV “which are called by my name”] humble themselves and pray and seek my presence [KJV “seek my face”], and turn from their wicked ways, I myself will hear from heaven and forgive their sins and restore [KJV “heal”] their land.” The prophet Micah sums this up (6:8): “…this is what Yahweh asks of you: only this, to act justly, to love tenderly and to walk humbly with your God.” The way is simple and the path is clear.
The sin of arrogance and a warning against the use of haughty words is presented to us as a roadmap in 1 Samuel 2:3-9: “Do not speak and speak with haughty words, let not arrogance come from your mouth.” We are then reminded here that God does in fact judge us for these actions and that he is “all-knowing” and “his is the weighing of deeds. The paradox presents itself that “the bow of the mighty is broken but the feeble have girded themselves with strength.” The Old Testament idea that people are humbled by the almighty appears again: “Yahweh gives death and life, brings down to Sheol and draws up; Yahweh makes poor and rich, he humbles and also exalts. He raises the poor from the dust, he lifts the needy from the dunghill to give them a place with princes, and to assign them a seat of honor, for to Yahweh the props of the earth belong, on these he has poised the world. He safeguards the steps of the faithful but the wicked vanish in darkness.” What assurance that beyond the destructive processes of life those who place their trust in the power of Yahweh and not in themselves will be lifted up. The humble path is indeed our salvation.
The Pentateuch, (Torah, or first five books of the Hebrew Bible) is full of exhortation to repent, and of the action of God to bring the people to repentance and a return to faithfulness. In the evolving concept of God at that, the “wrath of the Lord” can in this way be averted, in 2 Chronicles 12:6-7: [KJV] “And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves, the word of the Lord came to Shemaiah, saying, They have humbled themselves; therefore I will not destroy them [JB: “grant them deliverance”]…” And further in vs. 12: “And when he humbled himself, the wrath of the Lord turned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether; and also in Judah things went well [JB: “Indeed, things went well…”] .”
What does forgiveness look and feel like? Here is another Prabhupada quotation which could be applied in a Christian sense: “By surrendering and praying for the causeless mercy of the Lord, the devotee can progress on the path of complete self-realization. The Lord is addressed as fire because He can burn anything into ashes, including the sins of the surrendered soul.” [Śri Iśopanisad], in the Upanishads, “the man who burns sin”.
Monks and nuns have described the emotional openness of this process. It is at first painful, but eventually yields its fruit. In monastic life this enables the aspirant to make his or her life into one of constant prayer for the benefit of the world. They have not escaped the world, though that is apparently what they do. In reality, they endure the sacrifice of the heart to bring themselves and the world into the presence of that spiritual reality for which, deep inside, we all long. It has for this they sacrifice their hearts, and throughout history monastic movements have driven countless men and women to these tasks, producing quantum results for the societies in which they lived, though at first it may be unseen. This great work continues to this day.
Salvation comes to the humble person. This is not possible for one who is proud. Here is a beautiful passage from Job 22:24-26, 29: “If you return humbled to Shaddai and drive all injustice from your tents, if you reckon gold as durst and Ophir as the pebbles of the torrent, then you will find Shaddai worth bars of gold or silver piled in heaps. Then Shaddai will be all your delight, and you will lift your face to God….for he that casts down the boasting of the braggart is he that saves the man of downcast eyes”. [KJV “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person”] “Downcast eyes” is such a clear and expressive image of the attitude of humility. This picture, this attitude, should stay in our minds.
Humility as a major motif of Hebrew poetry echoes again and again through the Psalms. In Psalms 9:12 “[KJV]…he forgetteth not the cry of the humble” [JB “he does not ignore the cry of the wretched”]. (Psalms 10:2) [KJV] “Arise, O Lord; O God, lift up thine hand; forget not the humble.” [JB “Rise, Yahweh, God raise your hand, do not forget the poor!”] (Psalms 10:17) [KJV] “Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear…” [JB “Yahweh, you listen to the wants of the humble, you bring strength to their hearts, you grant them a hearing, judging in favor of the orphaned and exploited, so that earthborn man may strike fear no longer.”] (Psalms 34:2) [KJV] “My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad” [JB: “my soul glories in Yahweh, let the humble hear and rejoice.”] (Psalms 35:13-14) [KJV] “But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing was sackcloth; I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.” [JB: “murmuring prayers to my own breast as though for a friend or brother; and, like a person mourning his mother, went about dejected and sorrowing.” (Psalms 69:32): “Then, seeing this, the humble can rejoice: long life to your hearts, all you who seek for God!” [KJV] “The humble shall see this and be glad: and your heart shall live that seek God.”]; (Psalms 138:6: “From far above, Yahweh sees the humble, from far away he marks down the arrogant. [KJV] “Though the Lord be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly, but the proud he knoweth afar off.”
In a passage which could describe the humble incarnation of Christ, Psalms 138:6 proclaims: “High over the nations, Yahweh! His glory transcends the heavens! Who is like Yahweh our God?—enthroned so high, he needs to stoop to see the sky and earth! [KJV] “who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth.”]
Humility and grace are linked; it is the medium by which the power of grace becomes operant in our lives. This grace is called prevenient, or, in other words, does not require any qualifications on the part of the believer, its action in us is enhanced by the act of bowing down to receive it. We do much to benefit ourselves by opening the door. In the KJV translation of Proverbs 3:34: “he giveth grace to the lowly.” [JB “accords favor to the humble”].Proverbs 18:12: [JB] “The human heart is haughty before destruction comes, humility goes before honor.” Proverbs 29:23: [KJV] “A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit.” [JB: “A man’s pride brings him humiliation, he who humbles himself will win honor.”] Sirach 7:17 [JB]: “Be very humble, since the punishment for the godless is fire and worms.” The book of Sirach goes on to state that, although the bee is small, her produce is the sweetest of the sweet. And further in Sirach 32:10 [JB]: “Lightning comes before the thunder, favor goes ahead of a modest man.” Beautiful images, indeed. Fnally, in James 4:6 [KJV]: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud but giveth grace unto the humble…”
Grace is fullness. Thinking and belief regarding fullness, or fulfillment, finds its roots in the sayings of Old Testament times. In Proverbs 27:7, the means of enjoyment is the paradox of emptying oneself to be full: “The gorged throat revolts at honey, the hungry throat finds all bitterness sweet.” Proverbs 11:18, 24-25, 28 details the dynamics of grace, coupled with the illusory aspect of riches and prosperity. It holds the hope that those who love and care for the world will prevail, highlighted by the affirmation, “he who waters will be watered”: “The livelihood won by the wicked is illusory, He who sows virtue reaps a solid reward. One is extravagant, yet his riches grow, Another excessively mean, but only grows the poorer. The generous soul will prosper, He who waters, will be watered. He who trusts in riches will have his fall, The virtuous will flourish like the leaves.”
The concept of grace is not native to Christian thought alone. Grace through relationship to the Supreme Lord is contained in the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the Śri Iśopanisad: “The Lord fully maintains His unalloyed devotees, and He guides them progressively on the path of devotional perfection. As the leader of His devotees, He ultimately awards the desired results of devotional service by giving Himself to them. The devotees of the Lord see the Lord face to face by the causeless mercy of the Lord…. Being the creator, He can bestow all necessary qualifications upon His devotee so that the devotee can ultimately reach Him.….The Lord always helps the pure devotees by imparting necessary knowledge within their hearts; thus by His special favor all the darkness of ignorance is dissipated….As stated in the Katha Upanishad, the Lord can be known only by those whom He favors, and not by anyone else….The Lord clearly describes His intimate relationship with the devotees in Bhagavad-gita (9:30-34): ‘Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated. He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace….Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.’ ” [Śri Iśopanisad]
Grace comes from the kindness of the Lord: “The Lord is so kind to His devotee that even though the devotee sometimes falls into the entanglement of vikarma—acts against the Vedic directions—the Lord at once rectifies the mistakes within the heart of a devotee. This is because the devotees are very dear to the Lord….To err is human. A conditioned soul is very often apt to commit mistakes, and the only remedial measure to take against such unknown sins is to give oneself up to the lotus feet of the Lord so that He may guide. The Lord takes charge of fully surrendered souls; thus all problems are solved simply by surrendering oneself unto the Lord and acting in terms of the Lord’s directions.” [Śri Iśopanisad]
Back to the subject of sin. We fail again and again, despite our intentions. Can humility, leading to the path of devotional service, offer a way out? Perhaps it can. Consider what Srila Bhaktivinova Thakura has written: “One should accept a devotee who is on the right path of the saints, even though such a devotee may seem to be of loose character….The self-realization part of one’s activities is executed in one’s occupation as a devotee of the Lord, and one performs action in that connection also. These two different functions parallel one another, because a conditioned soul cannot give up the maintenance of his body. The proportion of activities for maintenance of the body decreases however, in proportion to the increase in devotional service. As long as the proportion of devotional service does not come to the right point, there is a chance for an occasional exhibition of worldliness, but it should be noted that such worldliness cannot continue for any length of time because, by the grace of the Lord, such imperfections will come to an end very shortly. Therefore the path of devotional service is the only right path. If one is on the right path, even an occasional occurrence of worldliness does not hamper one in the advancement of self-realization.”
The path of surrender requires the utmost of humility. “In Bhagavad-gita (4:11) the Lord Krishna indicates that He relates to His devotee in terms of the devotee’s surrender. He reserves the right to expose Himself not to anyone and everyone but to those who are surrendered unto Him. Thus for the surrendered soul He is always within reach, whereas for the unsurrendered soul He is far, far away and cannot be approached.” [Śri Iśopanisad]
Grace involves reliance upon the God’s providence, as exhibited by Jesus’ entire manner of living. His reliance was utter and complete. Eminent biblical scholar James Robinson presents Jesus’ radical gospel of how the Kingdom of God (Kingdom of Heaven) is to be realized: not in some far-off paradise but in terms of the here and now. I include his description of Jesus’ radical trust in God because it seems to compliment the concept of an inward and outward humility in different terms. The following selections are taken from the introduction to The Gospel of Jesus: in search of the original good news: “By using the ‘kingdom of God,’ Jesus put his ideal for society in an antithetical relation both to other political and social systems and to individual self-interest….The human dilemma is, in large part, that we are each other’s fate. We become to tool of evil that ruins another person as we look out for ourselves, having long abandoned any youthful idealism we might once have cherished. But if we each would cease and desist from pushing the other down to keep ourselves up, the vicious cycle would be broken. Society would become mutually supportive rather than self-destructive. This is what Jesus was up to….Jesus’ message was simple, for he wanted to cut straight through to the point: trust God to look out for you by providing people who will care for you, and listen to him when he calls on you to provide for them….Jesus found his role models for such godly living in the world of nature around him. Ravens and lilies do not seem to focus their attention on satisfying their own needs in order to survive, and yet God sees to it that they prosper….This utopian vision of a caring God was the core of what Jesus had to say and what he himself put into practice….This radical trust in and responsiveness to God is what makes society function as God’s society….Put in language derived from his sayings: I am hungry because you hoard food. You are cold because I hoard clothing. Our dilemma is that we all hoard supplies in our backpacks and put our trust in our wallets!….This is why the beggars, the hungry, the depressed are fortunate: God, that is , those in whom God rules, those who hearken to God, will care for them. The needy are called upon to trust that God’s reigning is there for them….Clearly all these are things we cannot do by our own strength and virtue—we are no more up to renouncing self-interest than we are capable of healing disease! Healings took place because God was doing the healing. God was reigning in this new kind of human society Jesus was calling into being—this was in fact the ‘coming’ of the ‘kingdom of God….He insisted that what acquits in the day of judgment is having listened to what he had to say: trust God to care for you, and hear God calling on you to care for your neighbor!….One of Jesus’ paradoxical sayings is: ‘When you save your life you lose it, but when you lose your life you save it.’ To be sure, the point of this saying is not longevity, but integrity.”
Humility is a complete spiritual practice—all-encompassing, all-pervading, life-long, and most of all an effective personal transformation. It unites the internal and the external. It presents itself in two aspects: inner and outer. A deep inner humility; strips down our egoism, our pride, our ambition, our pretentiousness; then the outer expression goes forth to heal and benefit our world. It is a quality in our private approach to God, but also one which we carry into to world as a “living meditation”, so in this sense we fulfill the command to “pray without ceasing”.
These and similar Old Testament passages mark a significant passage from the exterior to the interior reality, indicated by the references to either circumcision or sacrifice. The Hebrew poets and prophets were beginning to grasp the intimacy with Yahweh which is possible to those who fear him, that is, who empty themselves in order that they may be filled with divine awe.
Time and time again we are reassured in the Judeo-Christian scriptures that God does not ignore the poor, the wretched, the humble (or the humbled). It is a matter of social justice, but it is also that God enters those who know their need of him. “Blessed are the poor” in the Beattitudes has been alternately translated as “Blessed are those who know their need of God.” This hits the mark. God is on the side of the wretched of the world and also of those who bow down before him, acknowledging their weakness and dependence upon divine grace. Haughtiness and pride have no place here, for “He mocks those who mock, but accords his favor to the humble” [KJV “..he giveth grace to the lowly”] (Proverbs 3:34). Those crushed by outward circumstances are already an offering to the lord. They need no further preparation, for they are in a state of dependence and know their need of grace. It is those of us more fortunate who must preparing our spirits for the action of the divine. We must “crush” ourselves in order that we may be a humble offering.
How may this be done? Here I think of incense burning upon an altar, either at home or in a church, or the fragrance of flowers being extracted for perfume. We read in the book of Judith of the sacrifice of the heart. Many sacrifices are possible, and sacrifice is not a negative term because the end effect is positive, the reduction of what is in order that it may be released into the greatness of the divine and be acted upon in this way. It s a stripping down of ourselves to what is essential, and as a result, what remains shines all the more brightly, and means more, for we are grounded in what truly has value. Consider the sacrifice of attention, either in meditation or in the reading of holy scriptures. Consider the sacrifice of one’s will as submission is made to the will of God, again illustrating divine dependence. Consider the sacrifice of time, of talent, or of treasure in the service of the wretched of the earth who depend upon God and also upon us, including creatures of all sorts and the whole of the natural world, which God created and declared good.
In the New Testament, preaching of and to “the poor” was central to Jesus’ message in the Beatitudes. The Jerusalem Bible notes to Matthew 4:23 are a compendium of rich Biblical references supporting and expanding the passage of the Beattitudes. “Jesus uses the word ‘poor’ with the moral shade of meaning already noticeable in the prophet Zephaniah: “Seek Yahweh, all of you, the humble of the earth, who obey his commands. Seek integrity, seek humility, you may perhaps find shelter on the day of the anger of Yahweh.” Later, in the gospels, humility represents the ‘spiritual childhood’ required for entrance into the kingdom—the mystery revealed to the ‘little ones’, nepioi. This includes the ‘poor’, ptochoi, and the ‘lowly’, tapeinoi, and both are ‘last’ as opposed to the ‘great’ Although the spirit of poverty applies to both the rich as for the poor, Jesus has in mind actual poverty for his disciples, and himself sets the example of poverty and lowliness. He identifies himself with the little ones and the wretched (Mt 25:45; 18:5)
Our humility, both in its inward and outward expression, attracts the very favor of God, in1 Peter 5:5-6: “To the rest of you I say: do what the elders tell you, and all wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favor the humble.”
Another window is the lowliness of Jesus’ earthly state. Humility is the means by which the incarnation of Christ was revealed to the world, and the means by which he redeemed it. It is the supreme quality exemplified by his life. Jesus’ humility reveals for us the workings of his saving grace. “Remember how generous the Lord Jesus was: he was rich, but he became poor for your sake, to make you rich out of his poverty.” (2 Corinthians 8:9; or, in the passage from Philippians 26:6-8, which takes on the tone of a liturgical passage or catechism: “His state was divine, yet he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the condition of a slave, and became as men are; and being as all men are, he was humbler yet, even accepting death, death on a cross.” [KJV “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”] This obedience, this submission, this emptying of self is what we, too, should seek. Jesus is not only our Savior, you see, but our model by the humiliation of his divine nature.
James Robinson emphasizes Jesus’ total and radical dependence upon divine providence: as an expression of his humility. He rested in the divine nature and regarding his own glory said in John 8:50, “Not that I care for my own glory, there is someone who takes care of that and he is the judge of it.” For this reason he taught his followers to be like the lilies of the field or the ravens who do not spin or gather. It is why he taught not to be anxious about food or raiment, or to worry about tomorrow. It is why he instructed his disciples not to carry extra clothing or money on their missionary journey. To be assured—really assured—that our existence is part of the divine process, can we do it? We must.
Just as Jesus was dependent upon God, we are dependent upon him as teacher, fountain of divine life, and spiritual leader. He is, in the Hindu terminology, the sat guru, not just any holy man but the real article, the one of whom John the Baptist testified. Nowhere is this teaching of dependence made more apparent than in the image of the vine and the branches. Our dependence upon him is exactly the same as his dependence upon God, and through him we find the way to the divine. This is only possible through our humble submission and dependence.
Humility is a central part of Jesus’ teaching. In Luke 14:11 Jesus declares that “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled [KJV “shall be abased”], and the man who humbles himself will be exalted.” This extends to our very survival instinct, in Luke 17:33: “Anyone who tries to preserve his life will lose it; and anyone who loses it will keep it safe [KJV “preserve it”].”
An emphasis on humility was central in the teaching and practice of the early Christian community. 1 Peter 5:5-7 teaches: “To the rest of you I say: do what the elders tell you, and all wrap yourselves in humility to be servants of each other, because God refuses the proud and will always favor the humble….Bow down, then, before the power of God now, and he will raise you up on the appointed day: unload all your worries on to him, since he is looking after you.” For me the obedience to the elders is not so much an attempt by some to clothe themselves in the trappings of spiritual authority as it is a natural and beneficial deference to those older and wiser, as it is in a traditional family structure. Then followed the command to be servants of each other, concluding with bowing down to God. It ties the practice of bowing down together uniformly in all its aspects.
Humility is the means by which we bow at the feet of the spiritual Master to accept, enter, and participate in the divine life which resides in his being. It is the path of sacrifice. This is what is inwardly involved in being a follower of Christ. We must accept the lordship of the one sought through the ages. Christ is not only the fulfillment of the Hebrew prophecy but is the world savior, the end of the search of all who have walked and will walk the spiritual path. We replicate his life (and death) by yielding to him, seeking to walk as he walked and sacrifice as he sacrificed. It is in this way that we come as close to him as possible. In Romans 12:1-2: “offering your bodies as a living sacrifice as a holy sacrifice, truly pleasing to God. Do not model yourselves on the behavior of the world around you, but let your behavior change, modeled by your new mind. This is the only way to discover the will of God and know what is good, what it is that God wants, what is the perfect thing to do.”
In the philosophy of Hendrik Willemsz, sacrifice forms the means by which the process of “involution”, as he calls it, where the “I-sense” of personality develops, is formed. As personality is formed, he writes, “it is in the process of building that one remains blind and deaf to the views of others”. Not only does this apply to individuals, but to whole groups and societies. It is only “when one has got to the stage of opening up, one realizes that the self-contained isolated personality is not the Real. One sees that it screens off everything and that it interferes with the process of sacrificing.” Why is sacrifice important? It frees “the free Nucleus of Consciousness” to once again become more vitalized and lustrous, as it “takes the road back to the source….to attune oneself the Higher, and to surrender oneself to It.” It is, he writes, a hard struggle to free one’s consciousness from “the veils of the senses”, but an essential task. [“Contrasts and the Awakening Process” in The Great Secret]
Humility extends to our own ability to know and understand. The starting point of our contemplation of the divine is that we are incapable of truly apprehending the secret of being by our own intellectual means and must yield to the mystery of the divine wisdom. We should rejoice in this because the burden of explaining, of proving, of justifying the divine mystery has been taken from us. If we were to pursue it, it would be a futile task indeed. The nature of the divine and the spiritual mystery of the universe can no more be explained by intellectual means than can a Rembrandt painting be appreciated by the chemical analysis of its pigments. A no less towering intellectual figure than Albert Schweitzer said, “The deepest thinking is humble. It is only concerned that the flame of truth which keeps it alive should burn with the strongest and purest heat; it does not trouble about the distance to which its brightness penetrates.” [Indian Thought and Its Development]
As “students” of the holy, humility makes us teachable. We can only learn when we start from the beginning, admitting all we do not know. The Buddhist equivalent is the famous phrase “Zen mind, beginner’s mind”. Ann Cattell’s Dictionary of Esoteric Words defines humble as “teachable; a quality of openness which allows the mind to receive with faith.” This gives us a key as to how to proceed.
Prabhupada writes of the “true” and “false” knowledge, and the true and false teachers. I especially like the term veda-vada-ratas, those who give their own explanation of the Vedas, much like the wild rants of contemporary Christian teachers who exhort their followers with teachings which stray far from the true message of the Gospel. He also critiques the contemporary culture of (in his terminology) nescience, explaining that misapplied knowledge is as dangerous as no knowledge. [Bold font indicates the scripture and regular font the purport, or commentary] “Those who engage in the culture of nescient [lacking of knowledge or awareness, ignorant] activities shall enter into the darkest region of ignorance. Worse still are those engaged in the culture of so-called knowledge.”….“Avidya, or ignorance, is undoubtedly dangerous, but vidya, or knowledge, is even more dangerous when mistaken or misguided. This mantra of Śri Iśopanisad is even more applicable today than at any other time. Modern civilization has advanced considerably in the field of mass education, but the result is that people are more unhappy than ever before, because of the stress placed on material advancement to the exclusion of the most important part of life, the spiritual aspect…. Advancement of learning by a godless people is as dangerous as a valuable jewel on the hood of a cobra….the advancement of education by a godless people is compared to decorations on a dead body….In the same sense, modern civilization is a patchwork of activities meant to cover the perpetual miseries of material existence…Thus the aim of real education should be self-realization, realization of the spiritual values of the soul. Any education that does not lead to such realization must be considered avidya, or nescience. By the culture of such nescience, one goes down to the darkest region of ignorance.”
Does this strike a deep emotional note with you? The close, intimate, childlike relationship with the Divine is the source of our true and real connection. It is something to which we must hold fast, for to lose it is to lose all that is valuable. Those who rely upon their power to understand tend to fall into the ranks of the “impersonalists”, that is, those who deal in the realm of spiritual manifestation but not in devotion to the Personality of Godhead itself. Knowing the Divine Person goes beyond even the brightness of the light of God (Sanskrit brahmajyoti) which Judeo-Christians know from the manifestations of the burning bush and the Transfiguration on the mount. Humble devotion to the Divine Person allows us to penetrate the veil of separation. Prabhupada writes: “The facilities of devotional service are denied the impersonalists because they are attached to the brahmajyoti feature of the Lord….They cannot penetrate the brahmajyoti, because they do not believe in the Personality of Godhead. Their business is mostly semantics, the jugglery of words, and mental creations. Consequently the impersonalists pursue a fruitless labor, as confirmed in the Twelfth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita (12.5)…. Realization is, then, a function of the Grace of the Lord. Prabhupada summarizes, “The Supreme Lord, who is the Absolute Personality of Godhead, cannot be known by mental speculation even by the greatest philosopher. He can be known only by his devotees, through His mercy.” [Śri Iopanisad]
To paraphrase the Beattitudes, it might be said “Blest are those who know that they don’t know!” It is through awe, a holy fear—this is how we truly know God, in Proverbs 9:10: “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom; the knowledge of the Holy One—perception indeed!” [KJV “……and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.” It is, in Proverbs “a school of wisdom.”
“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge.” (Proverbs 1:7) It is “the close secret of Yahweh”, which “ belongs to them who fear him, his covenant also, to bring them knowledge” (Psalms 25:14). Here we truly share in Yahweh’s nature and wisdom. “The fear of Yahweh is a school of wisdom; humility goes before honor.” (Proverbs 15:33). Psalms 25:14 teaches that we “know” Yahweh not as an intellectual concept but personally, as a friend: “Yahweh is near to the broken-hearted, he helps those whose spirit is crushed.” [KJV “…and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.”] A sort of sadness or longing in seeking God can be perceived here. This heartfelt devotion can be felt in much of the meditative organ music of J.S. Bach, or in traditional morning and evening ragas. And once again it is the poor of this world who are in an ideal position to apprehend this great wisdom, as in Sirach 11:1: “The poor man’s wisdom keeps his head erect, and gives him a place with the great.” It is for this reason that the monastic life involves a vow of poverty—it is part of the essential spiritual preparation.
Those who pride themselves on mental ability usually fall into the traps they themselves have set. Job 5:11-13 affirms this: “If his will is to rescue the downcast, or raise the afflicted to the heights of joy, he wrecks the plans of the artful, and brings to naught their intrigues. He traps the crafty in the snare of their own shrewdness, turns subtle counselors to idiots.” I love the use of the word “idiots”—that is part of the great paradox of what is truly wisdom. Sirach 3:18-26 makes this point: “The greater you are, the more you should behave humbly…for great though the power of the Lord is, he accepts the homage of the humble [alt. “He makes his secrets known to the humble”]. Do not try to understand things that are too difficult for you, or try to discover what is beyond your powers. Concentrate on what has been assigned you, you have no need to worry over mysteries. Do not meddle with matters that are beyond you; what you have been taught already exceeds the scope of the human mind. For many have been misled by their own presumptions.”
No one places the “foolish wisdom” of Christianity and articulates exactly how this works better than the apostle Paul. I can picture him debating the scholars or Greece or contending with the learned rabbis of his own Jewish faith. This mode of thinking and being is extravagant. It is outrageous. It turns the convention of philosophical thought on its ear. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: “It was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen—those who are nothing at all to show up those who are everything. The human race has nothing to boast about to God, but you.” [And in the beautiful language of the KJV “But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty, and base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yean, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in his presence.”]
The same battle must be waged in our own day. It is far too tempting, too easy, too human to make belief in Christ into an intellectual proposition, but the radical practice of Christianity is not a book study group. We get that feeling from Paul’s writing—faith in the person of Christ surpasses all that can be said or written about him, or all of the scholarly exposition, however true, however scientifically and historically verified, than can be produced. It is much more than that, and if it were not, it would have no value. We might as well worship Plato or Confucius or John Paul Sartre. The only way in which we can apprehend this great truth is to make our mental processes suspect and through ourselves into the divine mysticism which is Christian faith. To not do so is to be left behind in a world which may talk about Christ but not enter into his presence. The difference is profound.
The practice of humility is indeed a “school of wisdom”: it is an all-inclusive and self-sufficient key to the entry into Yahweh’s presence and a fountain of life. All philosophies, theologies, and spiritual systems are overtaken by it. One does not need to study gnosis, as did that early branch of Christian believers. Our living practice will reveal what we need and deliver us from the evil of this temporal existence. I think of the words to “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart”: “No angel visitant, no opening skies, but take the dimness of my soul away.” Prabupadha was famous for saying is that the mirror must be cleaned through meditation. This “living meditation” does that, completely, through and through. It is why Schweitzer the theologian discarded as distasteful and unnecessary the creedal and theological debates of his day, choosing to make his life a living sacrifice as a medical missionary, having been fully convinced that his was not only the right path, but the only path. Only in giving it away does one get it back—this is the paradox we must grasp.
The true practice of Christianity lies in the intimate spiritual relationship with the Master. While intellectual perception is part of our learning, the scriptures do not primarily exist to be explained, justified, debated, deconstructed, decoded or in other ways analyzed. They exist in a mystical environment, serving to point the way to that which is far deeper. For the Christian the scriptures point to Christ, as Jesus said that the scriptures are fulfilled in him.
Humility is the “bridge” by which we cross from life in this world to life in the next. It is the means by which we acquire life in the kingdom and become the “new man” (or woman). Only that which is very small, very light, without encumbrance, can pass through. This is the state of the angels. This is the meaning of the “narrow gate”. This is the goal of the spiritual process whose key is the practice of humility. Jesus’ teaching of the narrow gate causes us to think of how we might enter in. As with all the practices described here, it is a process of reduction. Zoroastrian teaching mentions the Chinvat Bridge, which all must cross upon death. This bridge’s appearance varies depending on the observer’s asha, or righteousness. Thus to the wicked it would appear narrow and the demon would appear to drag his soul into the House of Lies, a place of eternal punishment and suffering. But if a person’s good thoughts, words and deeds were many, the same bridge would appear wide enough to cross, leading the soul to the House of Song. [For a further development of this theme, see my post The Gate. The Raft, the Bridge: on What Will Pass Through]
In order to be operational and true to its nature, humility must lay aside all claim for personal reward. This flies in the face of much conventional Christian emphasis on the reward of personal salvation, but it is necessary to do so. A claim for personal ego survival is antithetical to the way in which we truly must enter the Kingdom. We must have no thought of reward. Our only consideration must be that of being true disciples, devotees, or servants. This is affirmed in the practices of other traditions, notably Hinduism, and to many teachers is the core of the Bhagavad Gita, for, truly, we cannot be liberated if we hold on to the self. Here is another important Sanskrit term: nishkama karma, or nishkarma, defined byJohnGrimes, in his Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy, is “Action dedicated to the Divine without any personal desire for the fruits of one’s labor. It purifies the mind and is a remote auxiliary to the path of knowledge…. It is activity engaged in as dedication as worship. Some aver that it is the central teaching of the Bhagavad Gita. It is to act according to God’s will; to be a successful instrument in the divine hands through complete identity with the Divine. In doing action thus, one relinquishes the desire for any fruits of such action.” It is true that God rewards, but one must leave the reward up to God.
The saying “devotion before bliss” directs our practice. Bhakti, or loving devotion, is not only the means but the goal—seeking nothing but praise and devotion to the Lord. Then and only then are we free to offer worship to the Lord in devotional service and, from there, service to those in the world with whom we have contact. In the words of the beautiful song by Dan Schutte, “Only this I want: But to know the Lord, and to bear his cross, so to wear the crown he wore. All but this is loss, worthless refuse to me, for to gain the Lord is to gain all I need” This is, and should be, the definition of our faith, and from it we receive an outpouring of God’s grace.
The natural and inevitable result of humility is that it cannot be retained solely in the individual and must seek an outward expression, to love and serve the world. . Humility is the model for society, exemplified by the teaching and work of the great ones, the mahatmas, who have lived and are now living among us. The power of a life given to the service of others has been witnessed time and time again in the lives of the shared spirit of those great servants of mankind throughout many cultures, religions and times. Schweitzer knew this. It was supremely manifest in the incarnation of Christ, in his ministry and sacrifice, and in those who sacrificed for the founding of the church. And, most important for us, it must continue today. It is the most important way in which we manifest the love of Christ to the world. We must be as incense, which only releases its essence and its value when burned. The paradox of humility is that only that which is given, which is offered, realizes its true nature. It is the true wellspring of human progress. It also holds the answer as to how the destructive tendencies all around us might be reversed and global annihilation averted. In stopping the mad rush for power and resources, a world restored to balance could go on indefinitely.
If the spirit of humility becomes widespread, there may come a point where, from the depth of the humble devotion, it overflows is reservoir. If it does, it has the potential to spread to the wider world. Lao Tzu envisioned this long ago: the Tao must move outward (like flowing water). “The social order is regulated. People are happy and prosper.” We enter a new world of tolerance and decency, openness to others of all races, religions, and cultures, embracing all beings in love, without qualification, without judgement. Recalling the prophet Habbakuk (2:14), [KJV] “For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.” We may at first be surprised to discover what, upon further examination, is so obvious, but once realized and practiced, is so natural and real. After all, it was there all along.
Divinepersonhood 