A forgotten virtue?

Why humility?

1. Humility makes us more likeable. It's that character trait that makes us more flexible and adaptable to the personalities of others, and allows them to adapt to us. Pride insists that everyone be like me, think like me and adapt to me. Pride breeds an exclusivity. Unknowingly, pride begins to exclude others from its 'world' because they may differ from it. Hurting and insecure people tend to do this with great emphasis. Groups, too, can become ingrown, but really it is a form of pride and lacks humility. Pride will tend to be unaccepting of the differences of others.
   
2. Humility makes it easier to work with others. Humble people don't try and force their will off on others. They don't impose themselves on the will of others. They don't try and force their ideas and opinions off on others. They don't try and force strong-minded people to accept their ideas and opinions.
   
3. Humility makes us more teachable. Humble people are willing to listen to the views of others and learn from those that may know more than them. Its pride that says we don't need others and that we know it all and cannot be taught. How about the person we think knows nothing or is not an expert in our field? Is it possible someone else can teach me something I haven't learned yet? Is it possible my opinion may not be the in the right perspective? Personally, I believe that our filters of discernment are sometimes discolored and motivated by a sense of pride, and therefore give us dogmatic approach to our own opinion and belief of issues. Humility means I can change, I can adapt.
4. Humility is a confidence in the identity of who I am and Whose I am. Humble people are confident, not arrogant. They don't need to 'display' themselves. When we know who we are and who we are in Christ, we don't need to 'destroy' everything that is a threat to us. We are not threatened by that which is different to us or holds a different view to us, or may be stronger than us. Insecurity is a form of pride. It manifests as 'humility' but is really a pseudo form. Insecurity fears its 'position' or 'place' is threatened and therefore could lose it and be embarrassed. Embarrassment is the result of an anticipated loss of honor and dignity. But when you are confident in who you are, your sense of dignity and honor is not found in 'positions' and 'praises', but in a deep knowing, regardless of where you are found.
   

In a world where push, demand, bite, devour, self-exaltation, win-at-any-cost is applauded and valued, we need a new rethink of this forgotten characteristic and virtue: HUMILITY.