The news: Christianity Today examines a definition of humility widely circulated among Christians — "Humility is not thinking less of ourselves; it is thinking of ourselves less" — and finds it is incorrectly attributed to C.S. Lewis. The article goes deeper to explore what Scripture actually teaches about humility and why the popular shorthand, while catchy, may fall short of the biblical standard.
Why it matters for church leaders: Pastors quote and preach this line regularly, and it shapes how congregations understand one of the most foundational Christian virtues. Getting humility right matters enormously in leadership — especially in Indian church contexts where pastoral authority can sometimes go unchecked and genuine servant leadership is desperately needed.
The takeaway: Before your next sermon or leadership training on humility, revisit the scriptural texts directly — Philippians 2, Matthew 23, and 1 Peter 5 — and let those shape your teaching rather than a memorable quote of uncertain origin.
Source: Christianity Today
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