Become New with John Ortberg 34. The Freedom of Humility
Sep 23, 2021
A reflection on humility as freedom from ego and constant self-focus. A look at C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters to show how noticing virtues can undermine them. A warning about pride’s role in leadership failure and loss of learning. An invitation to begin spiritual life by admitting inability and redirecting attention toward God and others.
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Humility Unlocks Spiritual Freedom
- Humility makes a life of freedom possible rather than being a weakness.
- John Ortberg explains that humility relieves the burden of ego and opens people to spiritual freedom.
Screwtape Shows Pride Hiding In Humility
- C.S. Lewis's Screwtape Letters shows how awareness of a virtue can make it vulnerable to pride.
- Ortberg reads Screwtape describing a convert who becomes humble and thus a target for pride about his humility.
Self-Awareness Helps Faults But Harms Virtues
- Awareness helps with negative traits but undermines virtues when we become self-conscious about them.
- Ortberg notes humility feels ordinary in the kingdom, so noticing it can ironically erode it.
