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In his book Humble: Free Yourself from the Traps of a Narcissistic World, author Daryl Van Tongeren defines humility as “knowing yourself, checking yourself and going beyond yourself.” Humility, he adds, can be defined as “being the right size” or not thinking too much or too little of yourself.
The framework of humility has a lot to say about how we relate to the natural world that God has made. Does nature exist for us to “have dominion” over, as some have interpreted the command given to Adam and Eve in Genesis 1:28? Or can we use a more accurate translation for the word “dominion:” to tend and keep? This second orientation requires that we approach creation with a certain humility. Such a right-size approach acknowledges that the earth is here for us to enjoy, not to destroy. We are not the only ones on this planet. God cares about the rest of life – which also was created good.
This message is excerpted from “Humble” by Lisa A. Smith in the January/February 2024 Gather magazine.