To Be Humble... Teachings from C.S. Lewis

This year, for whatever reason, I felt an itch to gobble up as much C.S. Lewis literature as possible (He wrote much more than just the Chronicles of Narnia). After reading his biography a couple years ago, I figured I would have new insight into his writings.

One of his books that I am implementing into my morning readings is a compilation book that someone put together after his death, “C.S. Lewis, Little book of wisdom”. Quick one liners from his profound writings. Today this is what I read:

“Do not imagine that if you meet a really humble man he will be what most people call ‘humble’ nowadays: he will not be a sort of greasy, smarmy person, who is always telling you that, of course, he is nobody. Probably all you will think about him is that he seemed a cheerful, intelligent Chap who took a real interest in what you said to him. If you do dislike him it will be because you feel a little envious of anyone who seems to enjoy life so easily. He will not be thinking about humility: he will not be thinking about himself at all.”

Boy, did I love reading this. And like anytime we read about a hero or a story of someone with high virtues, I immediately tried to place my self as the main object of the lesson. Which I then realized, “Well, I missed the point.” I think I loved connecting myself to the person who is cheerful and loves life. But I quickly became disqualified when I read that this person “would not be thinking about themselves at all.”

This truly is not me trying to pull some reverse psychology where I then become the anti-hero of the passage, where I try to act like nobody. No, I just think about myself a lot. But then I suddenly became grateful as I started to think about the long list of people in my life who truly live this out on a daily basis. Selfless, cheerful, and helpful people! And I have the privilege of getting to call them ‘friends.’

I then asked myself, which is better, to know that you’re the person who lives this out, or to be the person surrounded by people who live this out? it may take a lifetime to find the answer, or better yet, it may take a lifetime to understand the question. None the less, I was driven to gratitude, so I suppose the writing did its job.