The Music & the Spoken Word broadcast airs live via TV, radio, and internet stream on Sunday at 9:30 a.m. mountain standard time. For information on other airtimes, visit “Airing Schedules” at musicandthespokenword.org.

Music

Conductor: Mack Wilberg
Organist: Andrew Unsworth
Announcer: Lloyd Newell

“Saints Bound for Heaven”¹
Music and Lyrics: American folk song
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“If the Savior Stood Beside Me”²
Music and Lyrics: Sally DeFord
Arrangement: Sam Cardon

“Trumpet Tune in Seven” (Organ solo)
Music: James C. Kasen

“Their Sound Is Gone Out into All Lands,” from Messiah
Music: George Frideric Handel
Text: Scripture

“How Can I Keep from Singing?”³
Music and Lyrics: attributed to Robert Lowry
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

“Tonight,” from West Side Story
Music: Leonard Bernstein
Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim
Arrangement: Sam Cardon

“All People That on Earth Do Dwell”³
Music: attributed to Louis Bourgeois
Lyrics: William Kethe
Arrangement: Mack Wilberg

1. On the CD Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.
2. On the CD Teach Me to Walk in the Light.
3. On the CD Tree of Life

The Spoken Word

The Strength to Be Humble

A national newspaper grabbed attention recently with this headline: “The Best Bosses Are Humble Bosses.” At first, that may seem to contradict conventional wisdom—that a good leader is dynamic, dominating, and bold. But it’s been found that people who work for humble bosses exhibit better teamwork and perform at higher levels. Not surprisingly, when a leader listens to the perspective of others and constantly seeks to learn and improve, the people who follow that leader are likely to do the same. That doesn’t mean leaders should be passive or indifferent. On the contrary, as one expert observed: “Humble leaders can also be highly competitive and ambitious. But they tend to avoid the spotlight and give credit to their teams.”¹ As a result, some employers today are making humility one of the key qualities they look for in applicants, even for entry-level positions. Humility, they have found, will help their organization thrive and achieve its goals.

And the same, of course, is true in the home. Think about the goals you have for your family, for your most cherished relationships. Perhaps humility is a first step toward achieving them. When parents and children admit their mistakes, ask for help to improve, and resist the urge to compare themselves to others, they thrive—and they help each other thrive. If we want to build authentic bonds of trust and cooperation, humility is just as needed at home as it is at work. It is the nourishment that feeds all successful relationships.

Humility is often talked about and thought about yet often misunderstood. Humility is not weak-kneed or wishy-washy. It is big hearted and open minded. Humility is strength—the strength to subdue self-interest and listen, be patient, withhold judgment, and applaud the efforts of others. In that case, the question for each of us may be “Are you strong enough to be humble?”

Employers may be able—to some degree—to spot pride or arrogance in job applicants, but it’s much harder to see it in ourselves. Ironically, it takes humility to recognize our own lack of humility. But if we at least begin by acknowledging our weaknesses, we will find in ourselves the strength to be humble.

1. Sue Shellenbarger, “The Best Bosses Are Humble Bosses,” Wall Street Journal, Oct. 9, 2018, wsj.com/articles/the-best-bosses-are-humble-bosses-1539092123.