--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Catch {a man} at the moment when he is…" description: "\"Catch {a man} at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, \"By jove, I'm being humble,\" and almo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/c-s-lewis-2-132_be-humble_catch-a-man-at-the-moment-when-he-is-rea_47649.png" --- # Catch {a man} at the moment when he is really poor in… ![“Catch {a man} at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, "By jove, I'm being humble," and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/c-s-lewis-2-132_be-humble_catch-a-man-at-the-moment-when-he-is-rea_47649.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/c-s-lewis-2-132_be-humble_catch-a-man-at-the-moment-when-he-is-rea_47649.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba3/c-s-lewis-2-132_be-humble_catch-a-man-at-the-moment-when-he-is-rea_47649.png) > “Catch {a man} at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, "By jove, I'm being humble," and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility can be a façade; when someone feels humbled, they may quickly become proud of that humility, revealing a hidden ego. **In simple terms:** Pride can masquerade as humility. Key Takeaway Beware of false humility. Themes pride humility self-awareness ego psychology Mood reflective cautious insightful Type aphorism philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - leadership feedback - spiritual counseling - team dynamics Key Concepts self-deception authenticity Practical Applications - coaching - self-reflection exercises Questions to Reflect On - How can we distinguish genuine humility from self‑congratulation? - What practices help keep humility sincere? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humble/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Poor in spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-in-spirit/) [Pride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride/) [Pride and humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pride-and-humility/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Reflection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reflection/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Self-Awareness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-awareness-2/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The rising and falling of the scales of pride and humility sustain the brooding mind as well as the alternations of desire and peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-rising-and-falling-of-the-scales-of-pride-and-humility-sustain/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Attitude is an accurate monitor of where we fall on the spectrum of pride and humility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/attitude-is-an-accurate-monitor-of-where-we-fall-on-the-spectrum-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [As I stood alone and forsaken, and the power of the sea and the battle of the elements reminded me of my own nothingness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-i-stood-alone-and-forsaken-and-the-power-of-the-sea-and-the-battle/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Through pride the devil became the devil. Pride leads to every vice, it's the complete anti-God state of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/through-pride-the-devil-became-the-devil-pride-leads-to-every-vice-it/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [As long as you are proud, you cannot know God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/as-long-as-you-are-proud-you-cannot-know-god/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/pride-gets-no-pleasure-out-of-having-something-only-out-of-having-2/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Humility has nothing to do with depreciating ourselves and our gifts in ways we know to be untrue. Even "humble" attitudes can be masks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/humility-has-nothing-to-do-with-depreciating-ourselves-and-our-gifts/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [“Actually, I really pride myself on my humility!" ;)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-d-bardswell/actually-i-really-pride-myself-on-my-humility/) Arthur D Bardswell > [“The antidote for pride is humility; meekness; submissiveness... Let us choose to be humble. We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/the-antidote-for-pride-is-humility-meekness-submissiveness-let-us/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [You can't have pride without humility. Aggression without tolerance. Strength without compassion. Power without restraint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-t-have-pride-without-humility-aggression-without-tolerance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I stand on this rostrum with a sense of deep humility and great pride - humility in the weight of those great American architects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-stand-on-this-rostrum-with-a-sense-of-deep-humility-and-great-pride/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [“Lastly, it is difficult to have close ties or connections with a person who is haughty and full of pride. Humility is attractive. Most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guessella-daniels-th-d/lastly-it-is-difficult-to-have-close-ties-or-connections-with-a/) [GUESSELLA DANIELS Th.D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guessella-daniels-th-d/) > [The voice of humility is God's music, and the silence of humility is God's rhetoric.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-voice-of-humility-is-god-s-music-and-the-silence-of-humility-is/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [We can choose to humble ourselves by conquering enmity toward our brothers and sisters, esteeming them as ourselves, and lifting them as high or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/we-can-choose-to-humble-ourselves-by-conquering-enmity-toward-our/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon/the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [All I am in private life is a literary critic and historian, that's my job...And I'm prepared to say on that basis if anyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/all-i-am-in-private-life-is-a-literary-critic-and-historian-that-s-my/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [If a man is going to write on chemistry, he learns chemistry. The same is true of Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/if-a-man-is-going-to-write-on-chemistry-he-learns-chemistry-the-same/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The first fact in the history of Christendom is a number of people who say they have seen the Resurrection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/the-first-fact-in-the-history-of-christendom-is-a-number-of-people/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [I#pray because the need flows out of me all the time-walking and sleeping. It does not change # God - it changes me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/i-pray-because-the-need-flows-out-of-me-all-the-time-walking-and/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Are the gods not just?' 'Oh no, child. What would become us us if they were?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/are-the-gods-not-just-oh-no-child-what-would-become-us-us-if-they-were/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Love is more than an emotion, it is a decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/love-is-more-than-an-emotion-it-is-a-decision/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Ink is the great cure for all human ills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/ink-is-the-great-cure-for-all-human-ills/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [A man may have to die for our country: but no man must, in any exclusive sense, live for his country. He who surrenders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-man-may-have-to-die-for-our-country-but-no-man-must-in-any/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [War creates no absolutely new situation: it simply aggravates the permanent human situation so that we can no longer ignore it. Human life has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/war-creates-no-absolutely-new-situation-it-simply-aggravates-the/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) [Explore all 1,190 C. S. Lewis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## More Be humble quotes > [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Well I think they broke the mould when they made me and being humble is one of my great assets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-hagman/well-i-think-they-broke-the-mould-when-they-made-me-and-being-humble/) [Larry Hagman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-hagman/) > [Remember this-all the sighing, mourning, sobbing, and complaining in the world, does not so undeniably evidence a man to be humble, as his overlooking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-brooks/remember-this-all-the-sighing-mourning-sobbing-and-complaining-in-the/) [Thomas Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-brooks/) > [ Be humble and say okay, all right, I have to prep myself. So everybody prepped, and we finished the film \[Valerian \] four days… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luc-besson/be-humble-and-say-okay-all-right-i-have-to-prep-myself-so-everybody/) [Luc Besson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luc-besson/) > [Humility does not mean weakness. It does not mean timidity. It does not mean fear. A man can be humble and fearless. A man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-taft-benson/humility-does-not-mean-weakness-it-does-not-mean-timidity-it-does-not/) [Ezra Taft Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-taft-benson/) > [Always enter like a kitten and leave like a lion. But NEVER enter like a lion and leave like a kitten. Always be humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlson-gracie/always-enter-like-a-kitten-and-leave-like-a-lion-but-never-enter-like/) [Carlson Gracie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlson-gracie/) > [There is no substitute for hardwork. Always be humble and hungry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwayne-johnson/there-is-no-substitute-for-hardwork-always-be-humble-and-hungry/) [Dwayne Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwayne-johnson/) > [You've got to be humble really to be yourself or to get a chance to be yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/you-ve-got-to-be-humble-really-to-be-yourself-or-to-get-a-chance-to/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [Learning something means coming into contact with a world of which you know nothing. In order to learn, you must be humble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/learning-something-means-coming-into-contact-with-a-world-of-which/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Create your own job. Become the master of what you do. Fully imerse yourself in your culter. Be humble. You are never above having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophia-amoruso/create-your-own-job-become-the-master-of-what-you-do-fully-imerse/) [Sophia Amoruso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophia-amoruso/) > [It's very easy for us to be humble when no one else is around. There is no reason for us to demonstrate our superiority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/it-s-very-easy-for-us-to-be-humble-when-no-one-else-is-around-there/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm totally normal. I think it's obnoxious when people demand limos or bodyguards. I eat at McDonald's or Taco Bell. My parents always taught…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/i-m-totally-normal-i-think-it-s-obnoxious-when-people-demand-limos-or/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [You have to know when to be arrogant. You have to when to be humble. You have to know when to be hard and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talib-kweli/you-have-to-know-when-to-be-arrogant-you-have-to-when-to-be-humble/) [Talib Kweli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talib-kweli/) > [I know that a Christian should be humble, but against the Pope I am going to be proud and say to him: "You, Pope,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-know-that-a-christian-should-be-humble-but-against-the-pope-i-am/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Don't try to do this by yourself: to become a good yogi you need a teacher. Find a teacher you can bow to, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-gannon/don-t-try-to-do-this-by-yourself-to-become-a-good-yogi-you-need-a/) [Sharon Gannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-gannon/) Browse all 243 Be humble quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Catch {a man} at the moment when he is really poor in spirit and smuggle into his mind the gratifying reflection, \"By jove, I'm being humble,\" and almost immediately pride - pride at his own humility - will appear.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "C. S. 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