He was the chief of the army of a very successful king. He was very good in planning, strategizing and executing. The king loved and respected him very much. The royal family and the army respected him too. He grew in arrogance and thought that he was the best and everyone should respect him. He was very quick to find faults in others and even to criticize but always justified his own faults. He found faults in even the good things they did and this hardened his evil heart even further. He lost his right leg unexpectedly in a war and had to resign as the chief of Army. He was rejected by all and spent his time alone at home. It then dawned on him that being hated by all in the world is worse than losing one’s leg. He said to himself, “This is the result of my arrogance. All those who respected me even the king does not remember me anymore.” He realized that the goodness in him was from God and all the evil was his own doing. From that day he started moving in the path of humility.

The sign of humility is the realization that even an ant that is able to carry a grain of rice is due to the benevolence of God. Jesus set aside the power and authority he had and won the world over with His humility. Mary who crushed the head of the snake used humility as her weapon. Let us also take up the weapon of humility like the saints and overcome the attractions of the world and let Christ lead us to victory.

However great you become, humble yourself more, and you will find favor before the Lord, and he is glorified by the humble (Sirach 3:18).

Eldho Paul