Tapestry of Faith: Virtue Ethics: An Ethical Development Program for High School Youth

Leader Resource 1: Humility Quotes

Part of Virtue Ethics

1. from The Tao de Ching, Chapter 22, translated by J.H. MacDonald

If you want to become whole,

first let yourself become broken.

If you want to become straight,

first let yourself become twisted.

If you want to become full,

first let yourself become empty.

If you want to become new,

first let yourself become old.

Those whose desires are few gets them,

those whose desires are great go astray.

For this reason the Master embraces the Tao,

as an example for the world to follow.

Because she isn't self centered,

people can see the light in her.

Because she does not boast of herself,

she becomes a shining example.

Because she does not glorify herself,

she becomes a person of merit.

Because she wants nothing from the world,

the world can not overcome her.

When the ancient Masters said,

"If you want to become whole,

then first let yourself be broken,"

they weren't using empty words.

All who do this will be made complete.

2. from The Tao de Ching, an excerpt from Chapter 67, translated by J.H. MacDonald

There are three jewels that I cherish:

compassion, moderation, and humility.

With compassion, you will be able to be brave,

With moderation, you will be able to give to others,

With humility, you will be able to become a great leader.

To abandon compassion while seeking to be brave,

or abandoning moderation while being benevolent,

or abandoning humility while seeking to lead

will only lead to greater trouble.

The compassionate warrior will be the winner,

and if compassion is your defense you will be secure.

Compassion is the protector of Heavens salvation.

3. Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. — Marianne Williamson, in A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

4. The (true) servants of (God) the Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, reply with (words of) peace. — Quran, 25:63

5. Religion is to do right. It is to love, it is to serve, it is to think, it is to be humble. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

6. It is a wholesome and necessary thing for us to turn again to the earth and in the contemplation of her beauties to know of wonder and humility. — Rachel Carson

7. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. — Hebrew scripture, Proverbs 16:19