Attribute #15 - Humility

 

You probably know Steven's the youngest of our five sons. Because of that, it's likely he had plenty of practice "submitting" to his elders (see scripture below). However, I think he would have developed humility even if he had been the oldest. And all of them turned out to be wonderful men.

Humility: The state of being not proud or arrogant or haughty; deference, humbleness.

1 Peter 5:5
Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

I think one reason I picked this attribute for Steven is because he has plenty of reasons to be proud, but he's not. Just as one example, he's smart - smart enough to have been selected valedictorian for his high school graduation.

Our proof that he gave a speech!

He's smart enough to have graduated summa cum laude from BYU earlier this year, and smart enough to have recently started a graduate program for electrical engineering at the University of Michigan. I'm positive he'll be smart enough to finish that doctoral degree!

Like our Savior, though, Steven doesn't go around advertising his brilliance. He is willing to humbly serve others. In fact, I imagine that this post might make him a bit uncomfortable, and I'm a little sorry about that. However, he's the perfect example for humility, and I needed to explain why. He's quiet, unassuming, and willing to share his knowledge with others. He is definitely not haughty or arrogant.

Developing and increasing our humility is a worthy goal, and I'm thankful for the examples I have from those around me.