The way up is down.

HUMILITY PRECEEDS EXALTATION.

A tree is seen to stand tall and elagant, producing edible and sought after fruit, many come from far and near to enjoy the fruit of that tree, but a seed had to be sacrificed and buried below the surface of the ground, and after the death of that seed, a new life begins which would grow to become a fruitful tree. The humility of that seed and its readiness to go into the ground is the only reason it will ever become a tree, if it remained in a jar, on a tray, or in the shelf it will forever be a seed and at some point will begin to rotten and later disposed as waste.

The way up they say, is down. If we must grow to become what we hope, wish, and aspire to be; if we must reach enviable heights, we must first go down, and be ready to the the things that are not so enviable. If you want to be a leader, you must first become a servant. Nobody ever become great starting from the top, you must start from the base and go up the ladder. Those who have attempted to start from the top, and probably got there never lasted at the top, most of them failed irredeemably.

Most of those who we remember today, those who we respect, and pay tributes to, are those who started from the very lowest levels in the community, they were servants who led through serving and became great leaders worthy of envy and emulation. Rick Warren once said, "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it is thinking of yourself less." When you think more of what you can do to help others, when you think more of becoming a source of hope and life for others, you are thinking less of yourself, but actually building a happier life for yourself, because at the end of the day, the things you have done for others will be your greatest source of joy.

Henri Frederic Amiel puts succinctly, "There is no respect for others without humility in one's self." It is when you humble yourself, that you can truly respect others, and the reward for respect is greater respect. You will never grow, if you think you are already grown. You will never become great, if pride has covered you up like a garment. Without humility, man would almost not be able to carry out any virtuous act, humility is the root, and basis of all good, humane, and beautiful actions. EXALTATION is the reward for sincere humility.

Kamikun John, Author 366 days of wisdom.