Humility gets a bad wrap. Often, the way it is taught to us is a form of self-deprecation. Years ago, a friend of mine from Australia told me about “tall poppy syndrome.” It’s where some people criticize and undermine others who have accomplished something great or who are unusually talented. The idea is that they need to be “brought down to size.” Obviously, this isn’t healthy, and no one wants to be part of a community where people actively undermine those who start to stand out. However, much of our understanding of humility causes us to do this to ourselves. Often, our flawed understanding of humility causes us to shame and undermine ourselves in an effort to avoid sin and pride. Unknowingly, in the process, we cut ourselves off from the only path to true humility.
