Stay Humble

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3

SO YOU GOT THE BEST math score in class. Or you made the winning shot in the basketball game. Or you’re better at art than any of your friends. Sometimes our first instinct is to tell someone about how good we are—maybe even rub it in a little. Right? “Hey, kid who sits behind me in math class, guess what? I’m smarter than everyone in this class—including you!” Maybe that’s not exactly how it goes, but it feels good to share our accomplishments, impress people, and hear praise. But it’s really easy for that to move into bragging or even feeling like we’re better than others. That’s not what God wants from us.

God tells us to be humble. Nowhere in the Bible does it tell us to let everyone know how great we are. The truth is that our value comes from God, not from anything we do. And we wouldn’t be able to accomplish great things without the help of others—like teachers, friends, teammates, parents, and siblings. None of us is totally awesome without the help and support of others.

So the next time you do something really awesome, feel good about it! Tell your family about it. But don’t brag about it or rub your success in others’ faces. If someone compliments you, say, “Thanks! I couldn’t have done it without my team’s help.”

DO

What’s something you did really well recently? Maybe it was learning to swim the backstroke or finally making 100 percent on a spelling test or maybe just getting through an entire day without fighting with your older brother. Whatever it was, take a moment and write a note of thanks to someone who helped you with that accomplishment. For example, writing a simple note to your dad saying, “Thank you for helping me with my spelling last night” is a wonderful way to stay humble while celebrating your success.

PRAY

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me opportunities to do my best and to succeed. Help me remember to stay humble and thank the people who help me along the way—and especially you. You make me able. Amen.

READ

Proverbs 22:4; Romans 12:3