Conversations on Humility with Patricia Raybon
In a world that teaches us to measure our worth by our successes, humility seems like the last thing we want to show. Normally, we want to shout, “Look at what I did!” But how do we balance that with the apostle Paul’s plea in Philippians to do “nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit” (2:3)?
This balance is something that Patricia Raybon has been navigating all her life. Recently, at a meeting for Our Daily Bread writers, she looked over the faces of Zoom and almost wept “over our smallness,” she reflected. “We’re just a few folks, but the job is big. Only with God can we attempt anything so great for Him. Oh, it’s so humbling.”
She wrestled with this reality while attending a reception with Black authors in her home state, Colorado. Asked to share their accomplishments, most named them proudly. Yet when it came to Patricia, she stumbled to answer.
In her mind, “bragging” about achievements conflicted with a lifetime’s worth of lessons from her Christian faith to “humble yourself.” Yet, while later reflecting on her struggle over not sharing all she has seen God do in her “humble career,” the Lord placed on her heart Matthew 5:13-16, the salt and light passage. Let your light so shine among people . . . .
Praying on it, she realized the other authors shared achievements not to brag, but to show how bigotry and racism hadn’t stopped them. Growing up herself under Jim Crow laws and its demanding racism and hate, she gained a new clarity in Christ—that she wasn’t to hide her life and journey but rather to proclaim, “Look at what the Lord has done through even me!”
To Patricia, humility is neither false pride nor self put-downs, but to “celebrate who God is and what He’s willing to let us aspire to through Him.” This truth is foundational to her work, measuring her success by Galatians 6:4 (testing one’s own actions) instead of by worldly standards (comparing ourselves to others).
Patricia credits her parents with modeling true humility, teaching her to be gracious with everything and everyone, because “nobody is undeserving of the respect and honor of your love, especially the love of Christ.”
She has had to work through this firsthand by navigating her relationship with her daughter who, in college, converted to Islam. From that experience, Patricia fully acknowledges that “peace isn’t a destination, it’s a journey—a road you choose, then walk.” Applying humility to their interfaith tension, she stopped trying to “change” her daughter, and resolved to love her, keep praying for her, and leave the rest to God. In that way, humility has allowed her to grow, opening her eyes to what God is trying to teach her through others.
As Patricia wisely shared, “We can feel thrown around in situations, but can hold on like an anchor to the loving stability of God.” He remains intimately involved in every part of our lives, so we can trust He knows exactly what He’s doing. By responding with humility, we show Him as sovereign. And there’s always a question being asked: “Even if things don’t work out, will we go anyway?”
Patricia experienced that with her upcoming book, God Is Our Help. She originally turned down this project, feeling inadequate for such a deep topic. But, when she gave God her yes, Patricia started to encounter situations needing God’s help in real time. Humbly, she dove into the writing, praying God would guide her to the finish line.
Receiving God’s help meant she needed to humble herself to admit she couldn’t do it on her own. Something that, if we’re honest, we all admit to ourselves time and time again.
To learn more about how embracing humility, love, and grace can help us trust in God’s faithful power no matter what comes our way, check out Patricia’s latest title, God Is Our Help: Our Daily Bread Reflections on Living with His Love and Strength, at go.odb.org/god-is-our-help.
