Mother Teresa’s Humility List
1. Speak as little as possible about yourself.
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3. Avoid curiosity.
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5. Accept small irritations with good humor.
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7. Accept censures even if unmerited.
8. Give in to the will of others.
9. Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
15. Choose always the more difficult task.
2. Keep busy with your own affairs and not those of others.
3. Avoid curiosity.
4. Do not interfere in the affairs of others.
5. Accept small irritations with good humor.
6. Do not dwell on the faults of others.
7. Accept censures even if unmerited.
8. Give in to the will of others.
9. Accept insults and injuries.
10. Accept contempt, being forgotten and disregarded.
11. Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone.
12. Do not seek to be admired and loved.
13. Do not protect yourself behind your own dignity.
14. Give in, in discussions, even when you are right.
15. Choose always the more difficult task.
just. wow.
I found this at the Humble Pie Challenge- I guess I am finding Blessed Theresa very inspiring lately; I wish I were more like her. But that is why she is saintly- she inspires people to greater things.
:-) I was just reading this. Definitely a challenge.
ReplyDeleteI love this one too. I think I might print it out and keep it at my desk at work, since I have some...people who try my patience.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder. 0nce again, I was forgetting how much I lack humility. Number 14 is especially problematic. And of course good old number 1.
ReplyDeleteI feel like #1 is hardest when no one asks how you are doing and want to say something.
ReplyDeleteI think these might be my Lenten challenges this year.
Ouch. That one hurt. Curiosity is my middle name. But I always thought is was a loving curiosity. You know? To better understand others, in order to... better interfere in their affairs... oh sheesh.
ReplyDeleteAnd give in, in discussions, even when you are right? How would one do that when discussing abortion?
Oh Blessed Mother Theresa, pray for me.
Tricia - Mother Teresa didn't mince words when it came to abortion. She referred to it as violent, killing, murder and the greatest destroyer of peace today. She also didn't keep quiet about it when she was in the presence of abortion supporters and even identified contraception as the root cause of abortion (read here: http://www.orthodoxytoday.org/articles4/MotherTeresaAbortion.php). Mother Teresa spoke boldly and with love. We are called to do the same.
ReplyDeleteI don't think #14 applies to issues of faith and morals in the sense that we should ever accept what is false or not speak up for what is true. But maybe it means that we need to guard that such serious discussions don't become "win the battle but lose the war" situations. One way to help someone see the truth about abortion, for example, is to really hear them out and try to meet them where they're at with the truth.