“It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.”

–Saint Augustine

I recently returned from the annual Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. About six hundred attendees, faculty, and staff were together at the Ridgecrest Conference Center near Black Mountain, NC. We took classes, met agents, editors, and authors for fifteen-minute appointments, and had worship/praise time (twice daily–we’re really good Christians!).

About those fifteen-minute appointments: They’re the equivalent of speed dating, or so I’m told … by the grace of God I never had to do that! Anyway, a writer sits with an agent, editor, or publisher and has fifteen minutes to convince them they want to hear more about the writer’s manuscript. Mind you, this can be a working document one has poured heart and soul into for years.

Some writers leave those appointments elated, having been asked to send more material. But some leave in tears. They heard their work doesn’t have merit, needs to be stronger, or just isn’t the right fit (code for, “uh, no thanks”). Enough about that, but if you want to know about my experiences, please comment or send me an email.

Truth is, the writing business is tough, and it requires a thick skin. There are more rejections than acceptances … unless your name is Rowling, King, or Grisham.* It’s humbling, but isn’t that a good thing?

How so? How can being humbled be a good thing? Because it defeats our pride, and the Bible teaches what a great sin pride is. Not pride as being proud of something, but pride as puffing up one’s self. Jesus himself talked about this. Note the chiasmus scripture referenced in the title: “So the last will be first, and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16 NIV).

His point? By humbling ourselves, we’re actually elevated. Jesus exemplified that as a servant to his followers, even stooping to wash their dust-caked feet. What a paradox! Work for glory and you’ll never attain it; serve and forget about glory and glory will find you.

You’ve probably heard it said not to let the highs take you too high or the lows send you too low, or some version of it. We need to stay even-keeled, and the best way to do that is to practice humility. That requires getting our priorities straight. Deciding what’s truly important in our lives. Lifting others. Choosing optimism over discouragement. Soldiering on.

At the risk of sounding like a Pollyanna, wouldn’t it be nice if the power brokers walking the halls of Congress or those sitting in boardrooms of major corporations would show a little humility?

Last week, a good friend sent me a clip of three University of Oklahoma women’s softball players on the dais after winning yet another collegiate national championship. They were asked how they sustain joy in what they do, when winning has become so routine. All three young women responded that their true joy comes in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Bold statements, especially coming from young adults attending a state university.

Their point was basically this: Of course, we want to win softball games, but the happiness that comes with winning doesn’t sustain us. It’s in our faith that we find sustained joy. In the same way, an author wants to write a bestseller, or an actor wants to win an Oscar, Emmy, or Tony. Most fall short. If their joy is a function of achieving that goal, they’ll likely be disappointed.

The Apostle Paul talked to the citizens of Galatia about the fruit of the spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. Although there’s no mention of humility, one can’t exist without the other. Dwell in the fruit of the spirit and you can’t help but be humble.

Let’s all examine ourselves, swallow our pride, our find the soothing balm of humility. We can do that even without a fifteen-minute appointment or winning a national championship in softball!

*Interesting fact: John Grisham’s first novel, A Time to Kill, was a flop. Even podunk newspapers in Mississippi wouldn’t give him a review. His second novel, The Firm, was a huge success and suddenly he was a bestselling author. Only then did A Time to Kill go on to become one of his biggest-selling novels.