Humility: Finding Our Place in the Universe

One of the most heated controversies in the history of western science centered around an idea that seems commonplace today. For years scientists have taught that the earth was the center, the fixed point of our universe. When Italian scientist, Copernicus wrote the book On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres, and proposed that the sun was the center, his idea seemed absurd. For people had long thought of their earth as the point around which all the whirling orbs in the heavens revolved. Man was thus at the focal point of creation, in location as well as in importance. To imagine mankind inhabiting a fairly minor planet moving through space was profoundly disturbing.

When astronomer Galileo Galilei ( 1564-1642) later used his observations of the skies, to confirm Copernicus' theory, he met with the fury of a people whose basic self - concept was challenged. The most powerful religious leader in the land asked Galileo to stop teaching Copernicus' heresy. When he refused, Galileo was tried for teaching false doctrine and imprisoned for some time.

Even though we understand the order of the universe more accurately today, we can still be sympathetic toward the earth -centered view of the 17th century man. For even we usually think of the sun traveling across a static sky. It is natural for us to think of our own homes and our own communities as the center of the universe. Our particular lives and interests seem more important than any others.

An examination of these views of the universe can help us understand the nature of humility. For the humble heart is the one that knows its place in the universe. It does not consider itself as either more or less than it actually is. Tryon Edwards define true humility as such: " It's not an abject, groveling, self - despising spirit. It is but a right estimate of ourselves as God sees us".

Knowing our place among others.
Since we know how highly the Lord regards us, ( if we disagree and we have different values, this still applies) how should we regard each other? We are clearly as important as all humans, but approaching other people with a humble perspective is not all that easy. Psychologist, William James wrote eloquently of this problem. He used an interesting comparison to describe a certain ' blindness in human beings' afflicting all of us with regard to ' the feelings of creatures and people different from ourselves.'

"Take our dogs and ourselves, connected as we are by a tie more intimate than most ties in this world ; and yet, outside of that tie of friendly fondness, how insensible, each of us, to all that makes life significant for the other! - we to the rapture of bones under hedges, or smells of trees or lampposts, they to the delight of literature and art.
As you sit reading the most moving romance you ever came upon, what sort of judge is your foxterrier of your behavior? With all his goodwill toward you, the nature of your conduct is absolutely excluded from his comprehension. To sit there like a senseless statue, when you might be taking him for a walk and throwing sticks for him to fetch! What strange disease is this that comes over you every day, of holding things and staring at them like that for hours, paralyzed of motion and vacant of all conscious life? "

Perhaps a first step to understanding our place among our fellow human beings is to realize that their interests, feelings, joys and sorrows are as real and important as our own. Our humility can even extend to the natural world around us. We can feel kinship with all of creation.

The humble heart is the one that knows its place in the universe. Those who have mastered this elusive quality knows true happiness. They have the ability to see themselves in proper relation to other people and see their proper place in nature. These 3 abilities enable us to overcome the distorted vision of the proud. Free of cumbersome preoccupations of self - centeredness, we can live more joyful and confident lives of loving and serving.

Sources : RS courses of Study, International dictionary of thoughts. ( John P Bradley) 1969.