On Humility and Vainglory

-St. Basil the Great

It is impossible for one who refuses to take the lowest and last place before all, or who, when reproached, cannot restrain anger, or who, when insulted, cannot overcome temptation with long-suffering. He who has reached the utmost degree of humility, even when reviled, condemns his own unworthiness still more, and his spirit cannot be troubled by dishonouring words. If he is reproached for poverty, he knows full well that he is poor, destitute in all things, and daily begs his bread from the Lord. If he is taunted with low birth or the obscurity of his parents, he already carries in his soul the knowledge that he was fashioned from clay. In a word: great in God’s sight is the one who humbles himself before his neighbour and without shame accepts accusations—even false ones—upon himself, that he may grant his brother the great benefit of peace. For it is no less difficult to remain unmoved in misfortune than not to be puffed up in prosperity.

The more people flatter the proud, the more his arrogance grows. To the humble and contrite spirit belong sorrowful eyes cast down to the earth, a careless appearance, unadorned hair, and plain clothing—so that what mourners achieve only with effort may be naturally visible in us. Garments should be girded, but the girdle should not be high above the waist (for that is womanish), nor so loose that the clothing hangs slack (for that is a sign of negligence). Let one’s walk be neither slow, lest it betray laxity of soul, nor hurried and precipitate, lest it reveal the soul’s disordered passions. Let the sole purpose of clothing be to provide the body sufficient and fitting covering against cold and heat. One must not seek garments of beautiful colour, nor those that are fine and soft; for to choose clothing for its colour is womanish adornment—women take great pains over this, dyeing cheeks and hair with alien hues. Yet the garment must also be thick enough that no second one is needed to warm the body. Likewise, footwear should be inexpensive but adequate to the need.

A base and contemptible soul always occupies itself with vain and worthless things that arouse the passion of love of glory. I call vainglorious the man who speaks or acts solely to be praised in this life—for instance, he who gives alms only to be glorified by men; thus he receives his reward here, yet there is in him neither mercy nor generosity. In the same way, he who presents himself as chaste only to please men is not truly chaste, for he seeks not virtue but the glory that comes from it.

Ananias was under no compulsion to vow his possession to God; but when the desire for human praise moved him to offer it to the Lord so that his generosity might astonound all, then, merely for withholding part of the price, he drew upon himself such fearful divine wrath (through Peter, its minister) that he was granted no time for repentance.

Thus the Lord, who resists the proud and humbles sinners even to the dust, Himself promises to bring low the haughtiness of the arrogant; thereby He prevents them from becoming like the devil, the father of pride, and makes them His own disciples, saying: “Learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart” (Matt 11:29).

Why then, O man, do you exalt yourself when you strike down nations and overthrow cities? Should the axe boast because it fells the tallest trees, or the saw because it cuts the hardest timber? Yet neither axe nor saw can cut without the hand that wields it or the one who draws it. When you see your neighbour sin, do not look only at his sin; consider also how much good he has done or is doing. Thus you will often find that he is far better than you when you examine all his deeds, not just a part of them. Even God Himself does not judge a man by parts: “For I come,” He says, “to gather their deeds and their thoughts” (Isa 66:18). When punishing Jehoshaphat for his sin, He yet remembered his virtue, saying: “Nevertheless there are good things found in thee” (2 Chr 19:3).

Humility often delivers a sinner from many sins. Do not justify yourself before others, lest, having justified yourself in your own eyes, you be condemned before God. Do you think you have done some good? Thank God, and do not exalt yourself above your neighbour. For what profit have you conferred upon your neighbour when you confessed the faith, or endured exile for Christ’s name, or undertook ascetic labours? The profit is yours alone, not his.

Beware lest you too be cast down like the devil, who, having grown proud before man, fell because of man and was given as a footstool to the one he despised. In short, remember that true saying: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (Jas 4:6). Keep ever in your heart the Lord’s word: “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Luke 14:11).

Be not an unrighteous judge of yourself, nor examine yourself with partiality, putting on trial only what you think good in you while wholly forgetting your sins. Do not boast that you now do good, nor forgive yourself the evil you did before; rather, when the present stirs pride in you, call the past to mind, and you will be cured of senseless arrogance.

Truly, the hardest thing of all is to know oneself: not only does the eye that looks outward refuse to look upon itself, but even our mind, diligently observing the sins of others, comes only slowly to the knowledge of its own faults.

Do not be harsh in rebukes, nor reprove hastily and with agitation of spirit (for that shows arrogance), nor expect perfection as though you yourself were wholly righteous. Receive those who have sinned, restore them in a spirit of meekness, as the Apostle teaches: “Considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted” (Gal 6:1). When we sin, we are made better by admonition; when we do not sin, why are we hated? Therefore I counsel you, O man: cast out of your soul the thought that you have no need of fellowship with anyone else—above all because to withdraw from brotherly harmony is not the work of one who walks in love or fulfils Christ’s commandment.

Let not the evil that prowls about us ever overtake us as well. Should we, together with others, be struck by misfortune, let us not then lack those who sympathise with us—simply because in our own prosperity we showed no compassion to the afflicted.

I myself strive far more to remain unknown than the vainglorious strive for renown. In the same way, show no less care to escape human glory than others show in pursuing it. And when you have attained high rank, when all honour and praise you, be as one subject. For the Lord commanded him who would be first among all to be the servant of all.

That great Moses, wholly obedient and most submissive, when sent to the people, spoke thus: “I pray Thee, O Lord, appoint someone else whom Thou wilt send” (Exod 4:13). For this very reason God urged him the more, because by his refusal and confession of weakness he showed himself worthy of leadership.

Excellent therefore is that admonition: “Seek not to be judge, lest perchance thou be unable to take away iniquities” (Sir 7:6). Yet Moses’ words do not signify a blanket refusal on the part of those compelled by rebels to accept rule; he does not simply say, “I will not be a leader,” but adds, “I will not be a leader to this people,” and gives the reason: “because their tongues do not submit to the Lord in righteousness.”

Called to worldly glory and leadership over so many, Moses refuses, saying: “Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and bring the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt?” (Exod 3:11). And again: “I pray Thee, Lord, I have not been eloquent heretofore, neither since Thou hast begun to speak to Thy servant” (Exod 4:10). And once more: “I pray Thee, Lord, appoint one who is able, whom Thou wilt send” (Exod 4:13). But the Lord says to him: “Go, bring up this people, and I will send My angel before thee” (cf. Exod 32:34). What does Moses reply? “I pray Thee, Lord, if Thou Thyself go not with us, bring us not up hence” (Exod 33:15).

Isaiah, on the contrary, hearing nothing of the sort but only the need for a messenger, willingly offered himself for every peril. What were these men thinking? Moses reflected that the people were sinful and needed Him who forgives sins—something angels cannot do; angels punish sinners, but they cannot forgive sins. Therefore let the true Lawgiver Himself go, the almighty Saviour, who alone has authority to forgive sins. Isaiah, in the boundless fire of his love and zeal, gave no thought whatever to what he ought to fear from the people.

We must imitate the actions of both these men, in hope of attaining the eternal blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, honour, and dominion, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.