THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, November 18, 1995 TAG: 9511170458
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E5 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Issues of Faith
SOURCE: Betsy Mathews Wright
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
BEFORE THE FINAL word is said about the whole Colin Powell thing, let me put a spiritual spin on it.
There's been a lot of talk about why so many folks liked the general and were willing to give their vote to the guy who would not declare himself a presidential candidate. Chalk Powell-mania up to media hype. Chalk it up to a dearth of leadership. Chalk it up to folks just not liking the crop of candidates they've got.
I chalk Powell-mania up to something else: authentic humility. The guy has it in abundance, and it is a balm for this world grown weary of I-know-it-(and-am-it)-alls.
What is authentic humility? It's a lot of things. First, it is the knowledge that you are a created being, which means you truly understand that there is a Creator in the universe greater than yourself and that the Creator possesses more knowledge, more wisdom, more fairness, more mercy, more forgiveness and more love than you will ever have. For this you are deeply thankful.
Authentic humility is also the knowledge that other humans possess gifts far beyond your own. You don't believe you are smarter or more loving or more moral than anyone else, which means that you keep working at being smarter, more loving and more moral. You believe you have much to learn.
When you have authentic humility, because you don't think you are better than anyone else, you value others. You even value those who don't think as you do or don't worship as you do or don't look like you do. You listen to others. You look for the grace of God in their lives. You wish them the best, even when they wish you the worst.
Those who have authentic humility rarely shout. They intuitively know that people hear loudness as noise. They know that people respect calm, quiet words because the tone is respectful of them. Also, those with authentic humility know that words have real authority not if spoken with volume but if spoken by one who has proven integ-rity.
When you have authentic humility, you realize how fortunate you are. You know there are others less fortunate. You know you have not walked in their shoes and cannot fully feel their pain, but you can empathize. This fills you with a desire to help them rather than a perverse need to blame them for their problems and kick them when they're down.
Having authentic humility is understanding the power of three small words: I don't know.
Those who have authentic humility are not mean. They are kind.
Having authentic humility is laughing when others belittle you, for you instinctively understand that it is their own fear of inadequacy that causes such action. What's more, you have compassion for the belittlers. You refuse to retaliate. You simply turn the other cheek.
Having authentic humility means you don't need to keep others down. You believe in all voices having a say. You believe in giving others a chance to lift themselves up, even if it sometimes means holding yourself back. You help others better themselves because you aren't afraid of their getting ahead of you. You make yourself vulnerable. You have a servant mentality.
When you have authentic humility, you do what is right. You understand that you cannot make others do what is right, but you can, by example, lead them to do what is right. You understand the difference between mandating morality to others and inspiring morality in others.
Having authentic humility means you don't seek power. It seeks you. This was the irony behind the fact that the very trait that made Powell so desirable as a presidential candidate is the same trait that made him reject the candidacy.
All faiths value humility, but some of the most eloquent writings about the topic come from the Tao Te Ching, written in China by Lao Tzu about 600 years before the birth of Jesus Christ. In it is written this wisdom:
All streams flow to the sea
because it is lower than they are.
Humility gives it its power.
If you want to govern the people,
you must place yourself below them.
If you want to lead the people,
you must learn how to follow them. MEMO: Every other week, Betsy Mathews Wright publishes responses to her
opinion column. Send responses to Issues of Faith, The Virginian-Pilot,
150 W. Brambleton Ave., Norfolk, Va. 23510; call (804) 446-2273; FAX
(804) 436-2798; or send computer message via bmw(AT)infi.net. Deadline
is Tuesday prior to publication. Must include name, city and phone
number. by CNB