The Divine Humility

I am astonished at the divine humility!

Buddha said, "I am just an ordinary man who is awake." Jesus said, "These things which I do, you shall do also, yes, even greater things than these!" Mohammad was known for his humble patience and declared that no man, not even the greatest prophet, could be equated with the Divine. Krishna removed his royal crown and became a playmate to the cow herders of Vrindavan.

Because of this divine humility, modern seekers are tempted to say, "See, they are just like us!" But where would we be without them? I would be lost without the love of Christ, the compassion of the Buddha, the grace-filled music of Lord Krishna's flute.

On the other hand, it is undeniable that these avatars came to show us who we really are, revealing the divinity that illuminates the human heart. Saint Athanasius, one of the earliest Christian theologians, said, "God became human so that humanity could become divine."

How can we realize this Truth, yet maintain our humility?

The answer is, I AM. God and humanity both declare, I AM. This most sacred name of God (Exodus 3) is the very name we give ourselves in our most innocent moments of self-awareness.

Let us say I AM with reverence and humility, for this is a two-fold name, containing not only the temporal I of humanity, but the AM of eternal Being. Speaking this name, I  surrender to the radiance of AM, and become myself.