Don’t hide your goodness

Honesty requires you to accurately acknowledge your vices and your virtues. Far too many understand humility as the reduction of incorrectly overinflated self-worth. Humility actually requires the correction of any error in self-worth, whether there is too much or too little.

It is not an oxymoron to consider oneself humble.¹ Like all virtues, humility is something we should all strive for and something we need to acknowledge in order to make the greatest use of it. Anyone who has reconciled their self-esteem to their perception of the truth, as far as they know it, can accurately call themselves humble until and unless evidence arises that suggests their self-worth is too high or too low relative to reality.

Some hold back on honestly acknowledging their positive traits for fear of becoming prideful. It is as important to live up to unacknowledged true strengths as it is to improve unacknowledged true limitations. It is vital that those who have virtue show that virtue in whatever area they have it.

The good you recognize in yourself and the good you do are coupled. It’s impossible to live up to your potential without first accurately recognizing your strengths. An artificially suppressed selfworth will cause you to be less and do less for others than you would with a more accurate self-appraisal. For example, the Lord said that the good examples we show help others see God’s goodness more clearly:

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5)

Don’t hold back your virtue. If you are good, be good. If you are smart, don’t pretend to be stupid. If you are productive, don’t slow down. If you are beautiful, don’t uglify yourself. If you are kind, do not allow the bitterness of others to dull your light. Live up to the virtues you possess.