In Proverbs 16:18 we learn that “pride cometh before the fall” which means that pride, one of the deadly sins, often leads someone to suffer from failure, destruction or another calamity.
While it is very important to ensure that our children have a healthy level of self-esteem, it does need to be monitored, adjusted and rightly ordered so that their egos do not get out of control.
It is important for children to know that all of their talents and abilities are directly given to them by God and there is nothing “good” that anyone of us has or will do that is not a gift from God.
“Every best gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor shadow of alteration. (James 1:17).
While we all have free will to improve on and better the talents that God has gifted us, everyone needs to know that our worth is through God and not on our achievements, talents, abilities, etc.
Even if someone has little to no talents, God still loves them and values them regardless of their abilities.
Children should know that it is not what they can do but who they belong to that truly matters.
How to Teach Humility to Children
One great way to teach humility to children is to read the bible. There are so many examples of humility and its importance that one could list the examples seemingly forever.
To look for some bible verses to share with your children, you can visit a Catholic bible online like catholic.org and do a search in their search bar for the word humble or humility. Then, you can read the results and see if there are any that work best for you and your child.
Another idea to teach humility is to explain the real story of Jesus and how God chose to send His Son into the world as an infant, in a stable for animals to a poor, young, Virgin Mother and her poor husband who would be His foster father on earth.
A God that is so great that our minds could not comprehend His magnificence, was not only born as the poorest of the poor but He also lived a poor and humble life as a carpenter, was rejected by His peers, convicted of a crime that He did not commit, suffered mercilessly, and died the worst death—a death that is the most painful, cruel and excruciating that one can ever imagine.
Of course, parents should tailor the above story to suit the age level and capability of each child to include less of the gruesome nature of Our Lord’s Passion and Death, or more if the child is able to tolerate a more accurate description.
Since we all should want to strive to be like Jesus, praying the Litany of Humility is one way of following in His footsteps throughout the year but especially during the month of June which is dedicated to His Sacred Heart. A great time to pray the Litany of Humility is as a family after the Rosary.
A book from author, Max Lucado called “You are Special,” that I have shared before, is a whimsical story about a wooden creature called a “Wemmick” whose name is Punchinello. Punchinello learns that his self-worth and value come from Eli, his creator. The book is great for all ages and teaches us that God loves us endlessly and that we do not need to care about the opinion of others.
Fun Activities that Teach Humility
Humility is best taught to children from witnessing the actions of their parents. I once received a penance from the Sacrament of Reconciliation to do something good for my husband. At first, I thought, great! This is an easy penance. Then, I realized, this is something that I should be purposely doing more often.
Our children can learn to do things for others as well, both inside the home and outside. They could pick up a chore for a sibling, do an extra chore around the house, donate toys or books, volunteer at a nonprofit or take some time on a weekend to pick up trash with the family.
Another fun activity would be to have a child pick their favorite saint and make a poster board with photos, quotes, facts and examples of how the saint showed humility in his or her lifetime. The child could even dress up like the saint and make a presentation to the family.
Showing Mercy to the Prideful
Sometimes, those who are prideful are compensating for a lack of self-worth or have deep wounds. We can show mercy and pray for those who have prideful attributes such as arrogance, narcissism, conceitedness and exaggerated self-importance that they can heal their wounds and learn, like Punchinello, that our worth comes from God alone.
Christina Frye is a lifelong Rhode Islander, wife, mother and founder of Catholic Mom Rhode Island, www.CatholicMomRI.com.
