When Benjamin Franklin was 22 years old, he was living in Philadelphia after escaping an oppressive apprenticeship. One question burned in his heart: ‘What are the greatest priorities of my life?’ In answer, he developed twelve ‘virtues’ – values that would govern his life. They were temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality, industry, sincerity, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquillity, and chastity. Franklin took his list of virtues to an old Quaker friend and asked his opinion. His friend read them and said, ‘Benjamin, you’ve forgotten the most important one.’ Surprised, Franklin asked which one. The old man replied, ‘Humility.’ Franklin immediately added it to his list. He organised his life into repeating thirteen-week cycles, focusing on one of those virtues each week. At the age of 78, he began reflecting on his life and the qualities he’d built it around. He felt pretty good about achieving most of them, but here’s what he said about humility: ‘I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue; but I have had a good deal with regard to the appearance of it.’ The Bible says, ‘Humility and the fear of the Lord bring wealth and honour and life.’ Humility’s an interesting virtue; as soon as we realise we’re doing a good job of showing it, we’ve lost it. So, what can we do? We could try to learn to put other people first (a little more on that tomorrow), and give God the glory for everything we achieve, until it becomes as natural to us as breathing. When we accept that our successes are just as much (probably more) God’s as ours, humility will become a habit without us even realising.
What now?
Every time something goes well for you today (even the tiny successes), thank God for it.