Be Still and Knowنموونە

Humility Leads to Happiness

Humility leads to happiness because it makes you teachable.

When I first heard that, I thought it was one of the truest things in life. Humble people listen more than they talk. Sometimes they listen because they feel less important, but in listening more, they end up learning more. Talking too much only exposes you to your own thoughts.

As time goes by, I have realized that humility is not about thinking less of yourself but about being open to learning from others and from God. A humble heart stays teachable because it accepts that it doesn’t know everything. When we quiet our pride and our opinions, we make room for wisdom, love, and peace to grow.

James reminds us that “everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19). That verse has become a gentle reminder to me that listening is not weakness—it is wisdom in motion.

I confess that I often talk more than I listen. I have had to learn that sometimes wisdom begins when we choose silence. It is not easy. I am a talker by nature, and my profession in advertising only made me talk more. I love telling stories and sharing ideas, but I also need to listen—especially to my wife, my kids, my brother, my parents, my friends, and of course, to God.

Learning to listen is an act of humility. It tells God, “I trust Your voice more than my own.”