“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom” (James 3:13).

So many people think that they have to display their wisdom with a public show of how smart they are. That isn’t what the Bible teaches. James says that the evidence of wisdom is humility. Elsewhere the Scriptures teach that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble.

Humility isn’t acting as though we are worthless. We are not. William Barclay describes it as “[T]he awareness of the creatureliness of humanity. God is the Creator, man the creature, and in the presence of the Creator the creature cannot feel anything else but humility.” When we realize that every individual was created by God there is no room for arrogance and pride.

Jesus Himself lived out an example of humility for all of us. He said of Himself, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:30). Nothing gives us more influence with others than humility. It lets others know that we are approachable and regard them as having great value. If we want others to know how wise we are simply live a good life and be humble about it.