Humility and Providence: Navigating Success
"Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).
Praising God, Not Ourselves
“Praised be God, and not our strength, for it!” exclaims the English King Henry V in the Shakespeare play of the same name, after his side wins the famous Battle of Agincourt against all odds.
This line is helpful for me when I’m tempted to become overly excited about an accomplishment or successful endeavor. First of all, I’ve never done anything remotely as impressive as winning a pitched medieval battle and claiming the crown of France, so a little self-deprecation is definitely due. Next, I need to remember the Author of all things, who lets the rain fall on the good and the bad. If, in the eyes of the world, I seem to be succeeding, I need to meditate on what that success means for me as a follower of Christ.
The answer, I think, lies in remembering the words in Deuteronomy 6 that our Jewish brothers and sisters call the “Shema Yisrael” prayer, to be said upon rising and at night time: “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone. Therefore, you shall love the Lord, your God, with your whole heart, and with your whole being, and with your whole strength. Take to heart these words which I command today.”
Tellingly, the verses immediately following are a warning to exercise “fidelity in prosperity,” not forgetting God when our needs are fulfilled.
Handing It Over to God
As Catholics pursuing professional goals, there is nothing inherently wrong with success. God gave us work as a gift even before the fall of Adam and Eve, and he wants us to be able to provide for our families and our needs. However, how do we avoid falling into the heresy of “prosperity gospel” beliefs — the idea that we are materially or financially successful because we enjoy God’s special favor? Having named and claimed our material well-being, how do we tamper the expectation of abundant blessings in the form of money and goods?
Everything we have is from the Lord our God, the Lord alone, whom we should love with our whole heart, being, and strength. Therefore, we should avoid expecting everything to go the way we would like it to and, when it does, we should place that success in its proper spiritual context.
Here again, “Henry V” becomes instructive for Catholics in business. When he learns that the French have sustained thousands of casualties and the English scarcely a few dozen, Henry exclaims in amazement:
“O God, thy arm was here;
And not to us, but to thy arm alone,
Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem,
But in plain shock and even play of battle,
Was ever known so great and little loss
On one part and on the other? Take it, God,
For it is none but thine!”
Later, he forbids his soldiers to boast about their seemingly miraculous victory, since to do so would be to “take the praise from God which is his only.” He also commands them to sing “Non Nobis” and “Te Deum.”
Whether everything is humming along well or I’d rather things were going differently, I try to remember to follow King Henry’s example, take out the Te Deum, and pray along.
When it comes to networking and self-promotion, it can be hard to know where to draw the line between doing what’s necessary to bring in clients and make valuable connections and boasting or being self-aggrandizing. When we have to cite our accomplishments on a resume or professional bio, let’s try to channel our inner King Henry. Throw up a quick Shema Yisrael or pull up the Te Deum on your phone. Once you’ve handed it over to God, you can present yourself in honesty and humility.
Maggie Phillips is a freelance writer and military spouse with three small children and an incredibly patient husband. Follow her work at mrsmaggiephillips.com and on Instagram at @maggies_words.