Hercules the Elephant and the Unbreakable Humble String

“Surely He scorns the scornful,
But gives grace to the humble.”
— Proverbs 3:34

Hercules the Elephant was a mighty beast. He was renowned for his size and strength. Audiences would fill the tent to see him do mighty feats of strength. He even lifted a car once. However, the most shocking sight was between shows. Hercules could regularly be found out behind the circus tent tethered with a small rope (not much more than a string) around his leg to a small wooden stake in the ground. No matter what, Hercules could not find the strength to break that string or pull up that stake.

It has been said that when a baby elephant is brought into the circus, the first thing they do is train it to the chain. They bring the baby elephant in and drive a 10’ heavy metal spike into the ground. They shackle the baby elephant with a heavy chain around its foot and leave it there. At that small size, no matter what the elephant does it cannot break the chain or pull up the stake to escape. Over time, it quits trying and accepts its condition. Eventually, you can tie the strongest elephant in the world with just a string and a wooden peg because it mentally cannot conceive of anyway to break its bonds.

Unfortunately, this tends to be the state of Christians when it comes to humility. I can think of few words in the Bible that are more erroneously understood. The concept of humility has been applied in the church much like the elephant is trained. People are constantly told to see themselves as less. To make themselves lower. Where the Bible calls us to be bold, courageous and unashamed, we often find ourselves useless. Tied down by an unbreakable humble string. Afraid to join God because we are too busy seeing ourselves as unworthy — false humility.

Don’t get me wrong. Humility is essential and beautiful. I’m talking about how it is misunderstood and misapplied. That error belittles who we are in Christ.

The word ‘humble’ comes from the Latin word ‘humus’ which means ‘of the ground’. Literally, being humble means the ability to be grounded.

It certainly means that we should NOT see ourselves as MORE than we are. 1 Peter 5:5 tells us, ‘God resists the proud. But gives grace to the humble.”

The one aspect of true humility rarely taught is this: Being humble also means that you DO NOT see yourself as LESS than you are. It means being well grounded. To see yourself as you legitimately are on this earth. Neither greater nor lesser. To see yourself true.

As Christians, it means to understand that without Christ we can do nothing. In and of ourselves, we are lost and wayward souls. However, in Christ we can do all things. We are forgiven, accepted, loved, holy in His sight and God’s own special people by His completed work. We worship a living Lord who desires to live through us. As 1 Peter 1: 3-4 says, “…as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue… that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Christian! Do not find yourself in bondage tied by a false humble string. Don’t be staked down in place by others who constantly denigrate who you are. Self-deprecation only inhibits our ability to join Christ in His work. Be well grounded in your faith. Be humble. Do not see yourself as higher or lower than any other person. See yourself as you truly are. A partaker of the divine nature.

True humility is found when we can honestly say, I am who I am because the Great I Am said I am! Period. And that is more than enough! That is where courage is found. It is when the living Lord is able to live through you in extraordinary ways.

Break the string of self-deprecation and false humility. Go forth in boldness and confidence. I’m nothing more than a man. I’m nothing less than a man. And neither of those matter. The only thing that matters is who God says I am. That is humility. True humility should bring forth boldness, courage, assurance and confidence. Not in ourselves. Rather, in who we are in Christ, and how He desires to live through our lives.

We do not have humility until we are willing to allow Christ to work through us. Let’s be humble today!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.