351. God wants us to be a humble people.
352. Humility is strength; it is not timidity, weakness, or self-abasement.
353. To be humble is to be teachable.
354. Humility precedes repentance.
355. The Lord chooses the humble to do His work.
357. The humble person will be blessed with knowledge and strength.
358. By cultivating humility we can avoid the pitfalls of worldly pride and philosophies.
351. God wants us to be a humble people.
Be thou humble; and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand, and give thee answer to thy prayers. (Revelation for Thomas B. Marsh concerning the Twelve Apostles; received on the day on which the gospel was first preached in England, July 23, 1837) D&C 112:10
God will have a humble people. Either we can choose to be humble or we can be compelled to be humble. Alma said, "Blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble." (Alma 32:16). . . .
We must yield "to the enticings of the Holy Spirit," put off the prideful "natural man," become "a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord," and become "as a child, submissive, meek, humble." (Mosiah 3:19) CR1989Apr:6-7
quoted by Mormon
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 3:19
quoted by Mormon
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
11. And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
12. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:10-12
Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. (Letter of James to his brethren in the Church) James 4:10
recorded in Luke
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Jesus gives the parable of the Pharisee and publican) Luke 18:9-14
recorded in Matthew
At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
2. And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,
3. And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
4. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Jesus using a child as an example) Matthew 18:1-4
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? (The words of the prophet Micah ) Micah 6:8
quoted by Mormon
And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.
14. And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
15. Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed— yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty.
16. Therefore, blessed are they who humble themselves without being compelled to be humble; or rather, in other words, blessed is he that believeth in the word of God, and is baptized without stubbornness of heart, yea, without being brought to know the word, or even compelled to know, before they will believe. (Alma preaches to the poor whose afflictions had humbled them, about 74 B.C.) Alma 32:13-16
Related Witnesses:
The righteous man, although far superior to his fellows who are not, is humble and does not parade his righteousness to be seen of men but conceals his virtues. . . . He is not so much concerned about what he can get, but more about how much he can give to others. (Stand in Holy Places, pp. 332-33) MPSG1989:22
Humility is an attribute of godliness possessed by true Saints. . . . Our genuine concern should be for the success of others. CR1984Apr:89; MPSG1989:19
receiving the Word of the Lord
Behold, thus saith the Lord unto my people—you have many things to do and to repent of; for behold, your sins have come up unto me, and are not pardoned, because you seek to counsel in your own ways.
15. And your hearts are not satisfied. And ye obey not the truth, but have pleasure in unrighteousness.
16. Wo unto you rich men, that will not give your substance to the poor, for your riches will canker your souls; and this shall be your lamentation in the day of visitation, and of judgment, and of indignation: The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and my soul is not saved 17. Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men's goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands (Revelation at Kirtland, Ohio, June 1831) D&C 56:14-17
quoted by Mormon
Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved. (The voice of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephites immediately before he visited them, A.D. 34) 3 Nephi 9:22
Author's Note: A dictionary definition of the word Humble: "Modest or meek in spirit, manner, or appearance: not proud or haughty.
'A spot where a man feels his own insignificance and may well learn to be humble,' Samuel Butler.
Free from pride or vanity; modest; meek; unassuming. Respectful." (Webster's Third International Dictionary, p. 1101)
352. Humility is strength; it is not timidity, weakness, or self-abasement.
If the Lord was meek and lowly and humble, then to become humble one must do what He did in boldly denouncing evil, bravely advancing righteous works, courageously meeting every problem, becoming the master of himself and the situations about him and being near oblivious to personal credit.
Humility is not . . . weak, vacillating, nor servile. . . .
Humble and meek properly suggest virtues, not weaknesses. They suggest a consistent mildness of temper and an absence of wrath and passion. Humility suggests no affectation, no bombastic actions. It is not turbid nor grandiloquent. It is not servile submissiveness. It is not cowed nor frightened. No shadow or the shaking of a leaf terrorizes it. . . .
. . . . Humility makes no bid for popularity and notoriety; demands no honors. . . .
It is not self-abasement—the hiding in the corner, the devaluation of everything one does or thinks or says; but it is the doing of one's best in every case and leaving of one's acts, expressions, and accomplishments to largely speak for themselves. ("Humility," Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah, 16 Jan. 1963, pp. 2-4) TLDP:292
One can be bold and meek at the same time. One can be courageous and humble. (IE1963Aug: 656) MPSG1989:18
Among the cardinal virtues of the gospel is the praiseworthy virtue of humility. . . . I interpret humility as being strength. Humility expresses itself in lowly service, in volunteering for any service which will ameliorate the conditions, particularly the spiritual conditions of mankind. Humility does not mean to grovel, to be a sycophant. Humility is inward strength outwardly expressed in good works. Great souls attain to humility. CR1942Apr:42
Humility does not mean weakness. It does not mean timidity. It does not mean fear. A man can be humble and fearless. A man can be humble and courageous. (At seminar for new mission presidents, June 1979) MPSG1989:18
A meek man is defined as one who is not easily provoked or irritated and is forbearing under injury or annoyance. The meek man is the strong, the mighty, the man of complete self-mastery. He is the one who has the courage of his moral convictions, despite the pressure of the gang or the club. In controversy his judgment is the court of last resort and his sobered counsel quells the rashness of the mob. He is humble-minded; he does not bluster. "He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty. . . ." (Proverbs 16:32) He is a natural leader and is the chosen of army and navy, business and church, to lead where other men follow. He is the "salt" of the earth and shall inherit it. (Lesson in M Man and Gleaner Manual, 1950, Stand Ye in Holy Places, p. 346) TLDP:292
Related Witnesses:
And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time. (Revelation during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831) D&C 1:28
353. To be humble is to be teachable.
Humility is teachableness—an ability to realize that all virtues and abilities are not concentrated in one's self. . . .
Humility is never accusing nor contentious. . . .
Humility is repentant and seeks not to justify its follies. It is forgiving others in the realization that there may be errors of the same kind or worse chalked up against itself. . . .
Humility makes no bid for popularity and notoriety; demands no honors. . . .
It is not self-abasement—the hiding in the corner, the devaluation of everything one does or thinks or says; but it is the doing of one's best in every case and leaving of one's acts, expressions, and accomplishments to largely speak for themselves. ("Humility," Brigham Young University Speeches of the Year, Provo, Utah, 16 Jan. 1963) TLDP:292; DCSM:27
[When men are humble] they acknowledge an intelligence far superior to their own and they seek guidance and wisdom from that source. CR1935Apr:30; MPSG1989:20
We can choose to humble ourselves by receiving counsel and chastisement. CR1989Apr:7
receiving the Word of the Lord
And now behold, verily I say unto you, I, the Lord, am not pleased with my servant Sidney Rigdon; he exalted himself in his heart, and received not counsel, but grieved the Spirit; (Revelation, Aug. 1831) D&C 63:55
receiving the Word of the Lord
Verily thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Lyman: Your sins are forgiven you, because you have obeyed my voice in coming up hither this morning to receive counsel of him whom I have appointed. (Revelation for Lyman Sherman, Dec. 26, 1835 at Kirtland, Ohio) D&C 108:1
Humility is essential to the acquiring of spiritual knowledge. To be humble is to be teachable. Humility permits you to be tutored by the Spirit and to be taught from sources inspired by the Lord, such as the scriptures. The seeds of personal growth and understanding germinate and flourish in the fertile soil of humility. Their fruit is spiritual knowledge to guide you here and hereafter. (CR 1993Oct; Acquiring Spiritual Knowledge, Ensign, November 1993, p.86)
Humility is all about keeping one’s balance. For example, when you receive a compliment, receive it graciously, but don’t let it go to your head. You young ladies have learned much, but you have more to learn. A person who is humble is teachable. Indeed, the Lord has promised, “For my Spirit is sent forth into the world to enlighten the humble and contrite.” (D&C 136:33) One of my favorite sayings is this: “Learn to say, ‘I don’t know.’ If used when appropriate, it will be often.” (CR 2003Apr; The Virtues of Righteous Daughters of God, Ensign, May 2003, p.108)
This absolute requisite of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit” prescribes the need to be submissive, compliant, humble (CR 1997Apr; that is, teachable), and willingly obedient. (Jesus Christ, Our Redeemer, Ensign, May 1997, p.53)
Related Witnesses:
Humility responds to God's will—to the fear of His judgments and to the needs of those around us. CR1986Apr:6; MPSG1989:18
receiving the Word of the Lord
Therefore, they must needs be chastened and tried, even as Abraham, who was commanded to offer up his only son.
5. For all those who will not endure chastening, but deny me, cannot be sanctified. (Revelation, Dec. 16, 1833; the Saints are chastened and afflicted because of transgressions) D&C 101:4-5
receiving the Word of the Lord
My people must be tried in all things, that they may be prepared to receive the glory that I have for them, even the glory of Zion; and he that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of my kingdom. (Revelation, Jan. 14, 1847) D&C 136:31
Joseph Smith was an obedient man. Humility always breeds obedience. (Joseph Smith: Seeker after Truth, Prophet of God, p. 333) MPSG1989:21
Know ye not that he was holy? But notwithstanding he being holy, he showeth unto the children of men that, according to the flesh he humbleth himself before the Father, and witnesseth unto the Father that he would be obedient unto him in keeping his commandments. (Nephi tells why Christ was baptized, between 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 31:7
How does one get humble? To me, one must constantly be reminded of his dependence. On whom dependent? On the Lord. How remind one's self? By real, constant, worshipful, grateful prayer. (Humility, p. 657) MPSG1989:20
354. Humility precedes repentance.
My beloved brethren and sisters, as we cleanse the inner vessel, there will have to be changes made in our own personal lives, in our families, and in the Church. The proud do not change to improve, but defend their position by rationalizing. Repentance means change, and it takes a humble person to change. But we can do it. CR1986Apr:6; MPSG1989:22
quoted by Mormon
And now, because ye are compelled to be humble blessed are ye; for a man sometimes, if he is compelled to be humble, seeketh repentance; and now surely, whosoever repenteth shall find mercy; and he that findeth mercy and endureth to the end the same shall be saved.
14. And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
15. Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed— yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty. (Alma preaches to the poor whose afflictions had humbled them, about 74 B.C.) Alma 32:13-16
Mark you, the Lord says before a man comes into the Church he must have a desire, he must come with a broken heart and contrite spirit. What is a broken heart? One that is humble, one that is touched by the Spirit of the Lord, and which is willing to abide in all the covenants and the obligations which the Gospel entails. . . . Every baptized person who has fully repented, who comes into the Church with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, has made a covenant to continue with that broken heart, with that contrite spirit, which means a repentant spirit. CR1941Oct:93
quoted by Mormon
And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them.
11. And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
12. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:10-12
And again, by way of commandment to the church concerning the manner of baptism—All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church. (Revelation on Church Organization and Government, April 1830; laws governing repentance, justification, sanctification, and baptism are set forth) D&C 20:37
355. The Lord chooses the humble to do His work.
The Lord called Joseph Smith and others from among the weak things of the world, because he and his associates were contrite and humble. The great and mighty ones in the nations the Lord could not use because of their pride and self-righteousness. . . .
The Lord's ways are not man's ways, and he cannot choose those who in their own judgment are too wise to be taught. Therefore he chooses those who are willing to be taught and he makes them mighty even to the breaking down of the great and mighty. . . . When we think of our missionary system, we can see how the weak have gone forth among the strong ones and have prevailed. The mighty and strong ones have been broken down by the humble elders of the Church. CHMR1:255; DCSM:5
receiving the Word of the Lord
And also gave commandments to others, that they should proclaim these things unto the world; and all this that it might be fulfilled, which was written by the prophets—
19. The weak things of the world shall come forth and break down the mighty and strong ones, that man should not counsel his fellow man, neither trust in the arm of flesh. . . . 23. That the fulness of my gospel might be proclaimed by the weak and the simple unto the ends of the world, and before kings and rulers. (Revelation received during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831; preface to the doctrines given to the Church) D&C 1:18-19,23
receiving the Word of the Lord
Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised, to thrash the nations by the power of my Spirit; (Revelation to Joseph Smith and Sidney Rigdon, Dec. 1830) D&C 35:13
And for this cause, that men might be made partakers of the glories which were to be revealed, the Lord sent forth the fulness of his gospel, his everlasting covenant, reasoning in plainness and simplicity—
58. To prepare the weak for those things which are coming on the earth, and for the Lord's errand in the day when the weak shall confound the wise, and the little one become a strong nation, and two shall put their tens of thousands to flight.
59. And by the weak things of the earth the Lord shall thrash the nations by the power of his Spirit. (Revelation received Nov. 3, 1831) D&C 133:57-59
receiving the Word of the Lord
And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (The Lord speaks to Moroni) Ether 12:27
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 which are mighty; (Letter to the Church at Corinth, Greece, about A.D. 55) 1 Corinthians 1:27
The Lord has chosen the weak things of the world to lead this people. Joseph Smith was but a young man when he died—not forty years of age. He lived nearly fourteen years after the organization of this Church. President Brigham Young followed him. Who was Brigham Young? He was a painter and glazier. He was a humble man. But the Lord called him to lead this people. You know what he has done, and the spirit that was with him. The Lord was with him, and he continued to lead this people by the power of God and by the revelation of Jesus Christ. He laid the foundation of a great work in these mountains of Israel. Many strangers who have recently visited us have marveled and wondered at Salt Lake City being laid out in the manner it was. . . . What was John Taylor? He was a wood turner, and he led the Church for quite a time. Wilford Woodruff was a miller and a farmer; that was about the highest ambition he ever arrived at as far as this world was concerned. That is about the way the Lord has chosen these men. Why did he not choose these learned and great men? As I have often said, he could not handle them. God has always chosen the weak things of the earth. (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp. 86-87) TLDP:294
Related Witnesses:
receiving the Word of the Lord
Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you, my servant Joseph Smith, I am well pleased with your offering and acknowledgments, which you have made; for unto this end have I raised you up, that I might show forth my wisdom through the weak things of the earth. (Revelation received Jan. 19, 1841) D&C 124:1
But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (The Lord through Samuel chooses David to be king; Samuel examines Eliab, son of Jesse) 1 Samuel 16:7
quoted by Elder Joseph Fielding Smith
There are a great many wise men and women too in our midst who are too wise to be taught; therefore they must die in their ignorance, and in the resurrection they will find their mistake. Many seal up the door of heaven by saying, So far God may reveal and I will believe. (At the Stand in Nauvoo, Ill., June 11, 1843) TPJS:309; HC5:424
356. The path to exaltation is through the valley of humility (to reach the mountain height we must traverse the valley below).
If we want to attain greatness, we must not forget this virtue of humility. Perhaps many of those who feel so self-righteous will find that to cultivate humility is a hard task; still it is necessary. We look forward to exaltation, but to obtain this we must go through the valley of humility. We must go down into it, and then ascend, and before us is a destiny so bright that we cannot conceive it. CR1901Apr:22
quoted by Mormon
And now, as I said unto you, that because ye were compelled to be humble ye were blessed, do ye not suppose that they are more blessed who truly humble themselves because of the word?
15. Yea, he that truly humbleth himself, and repenteth of his sins, and endureth to the end, the same shall be blessed—yea, much more blessed than they who are compelled to be humble because of their exceeding poverty. (Alma preaches to the poor, about 74 B.C.) Alma 32:14-15
When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. (Eliphaz accuses Job of sins and exhorts him to repent) Job 22:29
recorded in Matthew
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . .
5. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. . . .
8. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. (Jesus teaches the multitude, about A.D. 30) Matthew 5:3,5,8-9
quoted by Mormon
Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. . . .
5. And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. . . .
8. And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9. And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God. (The resurrected Jesus Christ teaches the Nephite people, A.D. 34) 3 Nephi 12:3,5,8-9
recorded in Matthew
But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted. (Jesus preaches to the multitude and his disciples about scribes and Pharisees) Matthew 23:11-12
recorded in Luke
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Jesus gives the parable of the Pharisee and publican) Luke 18:14
quoted by Mormon
Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved. (The voice of the resurrected Jesus Christ to the Nephites immediately before he visited them, A.D. 34) 3 Nephi 9:22
quoted by Mormon
And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
12. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:11-12
Related Witnesses:
Mark you, the Lord says before a man comes into the Church he must have a desire; he must come with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
What is a broken heart? One that is humble, one that is touched by the Spirit of the Lord, and which is willing to abide in all the covenants and the obligations which the Gospel entails. . . .
Every baptized person who has fully repented, who comes into the Church with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, has made a covenant to continue with that broken heart, with that contrite spirit, which means a repentant spirit. He makes a covenant that he will do that. CR1941Oct:93
357. The humble person will be blessed with knowledge and strength.
And inasmuch as they were humble they might be made strong, and blessed from on high, and receive knowledge from time to time. (Revelation during conference of elders of the Church, Nov. 1, 1831) D&C 1:28
You can obtain this knowledge [of the gospel truths] through repentance, humility, and seeking the Lord with full purpose of heart until you find Him. He is not afar off. It is not difficult to approach Him, if we will only do it with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, as did Nephi of old [see 2 Nephi 4:32]. This was the way in which Joseph Smith, in his boyhood, approached Him. He went into the woods, knelt down, and in humility he sought earnestly to know which church was acceptable to God. He received an answer to his prayer, which he offered from the depths of his heart, and he received it in a way that he did not expect. CR1899Oct:71
And when I had said this, the Lord spake unto me, saying: Fools mock, but they shall mourn; and my grace is sufficient for the meek, that they shall take no advantage of your weakness;
27. And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (The Lord speaks to Moroni) Ether 12:26-27
For those who humbly seek, there is no need to stumble or falter along the pathway leading to truth. It is well marked by our Heavenly Father. We must first have a desire to know for ourselves. We must study. We must pray. We must do the will of the Father. And then we will know the truth, and the truth will make us free. Divine favor will attend those who humbly seek it. CR1964Oct:19
quoted by Mormon
And again I say unto you as I have said before, that as ye have come to the knowledge of the glory of God, or if ye have known of his goodness and have tasted of his love, and have received a remission of your sins, which causeth such exceedingly great joy in your souls, even so I would that ye should remember, and always retain in remembrance, the greatness of God, and your own nothingness, and his goodness and long-suffering towards you, unworthy creatures, and humble yourselves even in the depths of humility, calling on the name of the Lord daily, and standing steadfastly in the faith of that which is to come, which was spoken by the mouth of the angel.
12. And behold, I say unto you that if ye do this ye shall always rejoice, and be filled with the love of God, and always retain a remission of your sins; and ye shall grow in the knowledge of the glory of him that created you, or in the knowledge of that which is just and true. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 4:11-12
quoted by Nephi
And whoso knocketh, to him will he open; and the wise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their learning, and their wisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves fools before God, and come down in the depths of humility, he will not open unto them. (Jacob teaches the doctrine of the atonement to the people of Nephi, 559-545 B.C.) 2 Nephi 9:42
We are called to hold the keys of the mysteries of those things that have been kept hid from the foundation of the world until now. Some have tasted a little of these things, many of which are to be poured down from heaven upon the heads of babes; yea, upon the weak, obscure and despised ones of the earth. Therefore we beseech of you, brethren, that you bear with those who do not feel themselves more worthy than yourselves, while we exhort one another to a reformation with one and all, both old and young, teachers and taught, both high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, male and female; let honesty, and sobriety, and candor, and solemnity, and virtue, and pureness, and meekness, and simplicity crown our heads in every place; and in fine, become as little children, without malice, guile or hypocrisy. (Epistle to the Church from Liberty Jail, Mar. 25, 1839) HC3:296
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quoted by Mormon
And now Alma began to expound these things unto him, saying: It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God; nevertheless they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him.
10. And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word; and he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word, until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until he know them in full.
11. And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries; and then they are taken captive by the devil, and led by his will down to destruction. Now this is what is meant by the chains of hell. (Alma contends with the lawyer Zeezrom, about 82 B.C.) Alma 12:9-11
358. By cultivating humility we can avoid the pitfalls of worldly pride and philosophies.
Should you in the least degree come short of your duty, great will be your condemnation; for the greater the calling the greater the transgression. I therefore warn you to cultivate great humility; for I know the pride of the human head. Beware, lest the flatterers of the world lift you up; beware, lest your affections be captivated by worldly objects. (Oliver Cowdery addresses the Twelve, 1835) HC2:195; MPSG1989:17
Why is it so difficult to accept things on faith? I think I can suggest an answer. It is because we are so conceited. Men of the world are in the world only because they adopt the philosophy of the world, which is the philosophy of self-sufficiency. It is not a humble philosophy—it is highly egotistical. It makes men themselves the arbiters of all things. They look to no higher source than themselves for the solution of all questions.
Such a philosophy is diametrically opposed to the philosophy of Christ, which is that of faith. When men adopt his philosophy they are humble—they acknowledge an intelligence far superior to their own and they seek guidance and wisdom from that source. When they adopt the philosophy of faith, they come out of the world, for the world, as a term in theology, is not a place but a condition or state of mind and feeling. It requires courage to come out of the world and adopt the philosophy of faith. Sometimes it subjects one to ridicule and to contempt of friends which are harder for most men to endure than physical pain; but because a thing is hard to do or hard to believe is no assurance that it is not right. CR1935Apr:30-31
quoted by Mormon
For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father. (King Benjamin addresses his people, about 124 B.C.) Mosiah 3:19
May I suggest humility and never the pride of learning. Be patient. There may be some seeming discrepancies. Do not worry about them. Eternity is a long time. I have great respect for learning, for academic endeavor and the university atmosphere. I have spent many years of my life in one way or another going to or in being associated with some great institutions of learning. I have a great respect for science and scientists and for the search for truth. But remember this: science, after all (even when it is true and final and factual), is simply a man's discovering of a few things that God already knows and controls in his ordering of the universe. We are, after all, a bit like Newton who said of himself that he was like a child handling a few pebbles on the shore while the great, limitless, eternal sea was before him. God has not told us all he knows. We believe in continuous revelation. Be patient. Keep humble and balanced in all things. CR1961Apr:76
recorded in Luke
And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:
10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.
14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. (Jesus gives the parable of the Pharisee and publican) Luke 18:9-14
Humility responds to God's will—to the fear of His judgments and to the needs of those around us. To the proud, the applause of the world rings in their ears; to the humble, the applause of heaven warms their hearts. CR1986Apr:6; MPSG1989:18
Pride is the universal sin, the great vice. Yes, pride is the universal sin, the great vice.
The antidote for pride is humility—meekness, submissiveness. It is the broken heart and contrite spirit. As Rudyard Kipling put it so well:
The tumult and the shouting dies;
The captains and the kings depart.
Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,
An humble and a contrite heart.
Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,
Lest we forget, lest we forget. [HYMNS:80.] CR1989Apr:6
