Humility has been defined unsurprisingly – the combination of humility and ambition that drives successful people. It is a character trait that is rarely observed, simply because the two dominant cultures in the United States either teach the impact of one or the other, but generally not the potential influence of the combination.
The market is very concerned about ambition. If you work hard enough, you can achieve anything. Take every opportunity and take advantage of whoever and whatever it takes to get to the top. Exploitation and manipulation are disgusting tactics of unbridled ambition. With this mindset, patience is not a virtue and “no” is never taken as an adequate response. After all, the American dream cannot be achieved without compromising the virtue of ambition.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the Church supports a life based on the quality of humility. This notion stems from the dominant perception of Jesus as nothing more than a humble peacemaker. Unfortunately, many Christians portray humility to the world by becoming a doormat, ready and willing to be stepped on for the glory of God. However, what if these two traits were infused? A humble person with an ambitious attitude of constant improvement and a mind open to collaborating with others would be unique to say the least. Also, what if these types of people injected this type of leadership into your business? An organization with a culture of humility would be very successful.
A great example of the character trait of humility can be found in Nehemiah. After many years of exile in Persia, Nehemiah received the news that the Jewish remnant living in Jerusalem were in great distress. The once impenetrable walls of Jerusalem had been burned and destroyed and had not yet been rebuilt. Without a fortified city, there was no hope that the Jewish nation would come together and once again experience a prosperous culture. God placed it in Nehemiah’s heart to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem by reusing the collapsed and burned rubble left over from the destruction. Although they were insulted and booed, Nehemiah and his loyal followers took on the massive undertaking with one hand and carried weapons for battle in the other, in case a surrounding enemy tried to take advantage of them in such a vulnerable state. Subsequent attempts to distract Nehemiah and the workers were in vain as they worked with great ambition to finish the gigantic wall in just 52 days. Nehemiah’s trust in God in the face of his vulnerable position revealed his inspiring humility. This trait combined with his toughness and tenacity with which he led the construction project speaks to his strong ambition.
As recorded in Luke of the New Testament, Jesus tells the story of a crafty manager who, ironically, embodies the elusive trait of humility. A man forces his financial manager to show him the books, especially his investments and debts. Feeling that the manager had been dishonest, it seems the man was about to fire him. However, in a cunning act of business hoarding, the manager began claiming those who owed outstanding debts to their landlord and cut their payments to half their debt. In this way, the manager not only earned the patronage of those indebted to the owner, but also earned the respect and continued employment of his master. At the conclusion of this story, Jesus makes a bold statement: “The people of this world are more cunning in dealing with their own kind than the people of the light.” Although this is a traditionally difficult passage to interpret, it is obvious that Jesus praises the ambition of the administrator above his humility and acknowledges that this trait is rare among members of the Church. It is clear that the manager was cited for his mistakes in mishandling the money entrusted to him, but he did not give up. He seized the opportunity given him and allowed his ambition and wisdom to keep him in the game.
The building block of humility must be built into your company culture. It is a balancing act between admitting and learning from your mistakes, as well as making confident and aggressive decisions. Furthermore, we must constantly rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit, as we constantly seek more effective and efficient means of operation. It is imperative that we are motivated and loyal. We live to be nonconformists who live off God’s favor. We need to build our business on the biblical principle of humility.
