Christians, is it possible to be humble without lowering your self esteem?

Question

A long time ago I believed that by being humble you never compliment yourself, you think you are worthless, ugly and filthy and everyone is better than you. Recently someone said that isn't humbleness that is plain LOW self esteem.

What do you think?

Answer 1

To be humble in this sense means to be not arrogant or prideful. This is specifically what Jesus talks about. We are not to place our self worth or value above anyone else, and think that we are better. We are all equal and He made it quite clear that being humble means giving grace and compassion and understanding to others.

Low self esteem is something different. You do not think you measure up to others and you have a negative self image of yourself.
Being humble doesn't mean that you are accepting your self as worthless and lower than the next person it means you think of them as yourself and you are willing to put them on equal footing along side you ( Equality), Jesus was trying to show us that by doing this we are more CHrist like.
Jesus lived a humble life on earth, He washed others feet! Not saying that He was lower than the person who's feet He was washing, but He made a good point, Eventhough He was KING, through this jesture He was showing that humbling Himself and placing Himself in equal standing with His disciples, He was showing that no one is better than another.

Have you thought of writing your thoughts on paper? Sometimes getting out your negative issues of yourself and reading them back helps you to better understanding your feelings. you must remember that your feelings are just that, it is through fear that you give them substance. Jesus said " I did not give you the spirit of fear." That definietly doesn't come from Him.

Your feelings can't control you unless you let them. It shouldn't matter what others think of you, Ultimately God is your judge and once you begin to understand the LOVE HE has for you, you will begin to see that God is accepting of your flaws, because HE doesn't see them! He is molding you and shaping your life, and anything that begins as a (such as a lapse in judgment on your part, hard times because you misjudged a situation...)mistake or mishap is to help you learn and become stronger. ONce you see God's acceptance of you, that's when you can begin to accept yourself. You are human and we live in this world but are not of it. It shouldn't matter what others think of you, but we all do it. Why allow yourself to be in a one way competition of a stranger, or an aquaintance? Why take a look at that person and judge, " He/she's better than me, look at the way they dress, so much better..."
Do you know that person's pain? Do you know what is going on in thier life behind closed doors? No, so why judge? By who's standards are you making judgments about yourself and others? This is where grace and mercy come in... cut yourself some slack.
Gosh went on a runaway there... sorry.

Answer 2

Only some one with high self esteem can be humble,

People with low self esteem can never truly pull it off. They are always to busy judging others, so they can have someone to be better than.

A judgmental humble person is an oxymoron.

Love and blessings Don

Answer 3

Of course it's possible, But everything is done throgh faith in God. being humble and having a low self-esteem do not mix. That is not God's way of working things out for you. When God humbles you he also gives you everything else he knows that you are lacking for him to build everlasting strength in you. So because the two do not mix, you must humble yourself before God wholeheartedly without doubting. Everything is done by with and with faith comes hope and with faith you can conquer all, but you must truly submit your heart to God in prayer in a humble manner so that you can have a complete self-esteem and be humble altogether.

God Bless you, May God give you desires.

Answer 4

Putting yourself down is not humility.

You can not really be humble as long as you have a self. Humble people are selfless, but they do not realize it.

Humble people do not realize they are humble - others call them as such.

It is not something you can try to be or to do.

As long as there is a self (ego), everything refers to ego and is narcissism. Putting yourself down is just another ego-game but in reverse - it is not humilty.

You can be humble and still state facts that might be complimentary to yourself - but you don't do it for any sense of self.

A truly humble person is no higher OR lower than anyone else.

~ Eric Putkonen

Answer 5

...First look at what the opposite of humbleness is. Being humble is the state of not being arrogant. It's the opposite of arrogance which compels a person to be vain, self-centered, too much dripping ego, and prideful.
...Humbleness does not necessarily have to subtract any self-esteem if a person can still hold his or hers own head up equally among peers, and not embody the traits of arrogance.
...Wow, you question is good. I actually had to think.

Answer 6

You need to accept yourself as you are. It is where you start from. Give up feeling guilty, that is self indulgence. If you stop judging yourself and others, things will fall into place and you may then see clearly. Being humble, means putting others before yourself. It doesn't mean beating yourself up. Be of service to others. Forget yourself. Want to find your God? Then forget self, put service first.
Be well and best of luck.

Answer 7

I think they were right. Humbling yourself means knowing that you're not better then anyone, knowing your a sinner, and treating others with respect and love as if they are equal to you. Jesus humbled himself by washing his disciples feet at the last supper. He WAS higher then all of them, but was making a point that it is more important to just equal yourself to everyone, and treat others with love and respect.

Answer 8

I think being a christian is all about having a low self esteem, thats why i left, or one of the several reasons.

I was constantly depressed being a christian, it didnt fit me from the get go. I talked to my animal guides (soemthing forbidden by christian doctorine), and i went to a psychiatrist for it, I had a warning that my grandmother would die and i couldnt tell anyone because I was christian and it was forbidden for the dead to talk to you, and because i was seeing mental help for soemthing i couldnt help. Then years down the road my camp instructor had a book on Taoism, i was very interested to learn more. years went by and bad things happened and i watched my family fall apart because both were christians of a different sect that hated each other, after i deconverted i felt Taoism call to me agian, thats where i am and where im staying.

Answer 9

being humble is not about not loving yourself
it is about not trying to be better than anyone , not needing material things in life , not being vain , not having ego
that is all quite different from not loving yourself
if you dont love yourself , you are hating Gods creation arent you ... and im sure God does not want that
so perhaps it is about loving everyone equally so that you arent in a position to think more of yourself
seeing beauty in all things and all people so that your beauty doesnt shine above any
i am not Christian , but hope this helps
you are worthy of being loved and are very beautiful xx

Answer 10

People do have low self esteem, A Christian that humble themselves, don't have to bring low self esteem upon themselves, In fact they should lift themselve up without pride, because God choosed them to be a Christian.