Humility Nuggets - 4

For silence in presence of the wise, is wisdom.

"Who sold Joseph? Abba John said, 'Who sold Joseph?' They replied saying, 'It was his brethren.' The old man said, 'No, it was his humility which sold him, because he could have said, "I am their brother" and have objected, but, because he kept silence, he sold himself by his humility. It is also his humility which set him up as chief in Egypt.' " (Abba John The Dwarf) 

St. Makarius (or St. Anthony the great in other versions of this story) in one of his contemplations said that he saw demon's lures scattered all over the earth and asked, "Lord, who can escape it?" And following this question, St. Makarius/Anthony heard a voice answering, "The humble will."

"Be humble so that God guards and strengthens you, because God looks to the humble. Be humble so that God fills you with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, because it is written that He guides the humble and teaches His ways to the meek. Be humble in order to be joyful, because joy goes hand in hand with humility." (St. Pachomius)

"For demons can defeat the strong, but they cannot defeat the weak" (Pope Shenouda III)