--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Humility is authenticity. It comes from…" description: "\"Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning \"earth.\" As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust we shall ret..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/joan-d-chittister-2635_authenticity_humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-t_156179.png" --- # Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word… ![“Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning "earth." As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust we shall return.” quote by Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/joan-d-chittister-2635_authenticity_humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-t_156179.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/joan-d-chittister-2635_authenticity_humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-t_156179.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/16f/joan-d-chittister-2635_authenticity_humility-is-authenticity-it-comes-from-t_156179.png) > “Humility is authenticity. It comes from the Latin word humus, meaning "earth." As the church has taught, we're made of dust, and unto dust we shall return.” [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humility stems from our earthly origin, reminding us of our shared dust and mortality. **In simple terms:** Humility comes from being earth‑bound and mortal. Key Takeaway Embrace humility by recognizing our common humanity. Themes humility mortality spirituality Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical advisory When to use this quote - ethics - self‑growth Key Concepts philosophy religion personal reflection Questions to Reflect On - How does mortality shape your actions? - In what ways can you practice humility? A Different Perspective Humility can be misunderstood as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Authenticity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Earth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/earth/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Latin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/latin/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [The word humility (also human) is derived from the Latin humus, meaning the soil. 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I beseech…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/the-superman-is-the-meaning-of-the-earth-let-your-will-say-the/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [The God who made us dust knows we're dust. We don't have to feel like perpetual failures because we aren't more than we are,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/the-god-who-made-us-dust-knows-we-re-dust-we-don-t-have-to-feel-like/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [The word 'mundane' has come to mean 'boring' and 'dull', and it really shouldn't - it should mean the opposite. Because it comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/the-word-mundane-has-come-to-mean-boring-and-dull-and-it-really/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) > [Forcing modern speakers of English to not - whoops, not to split an infinitive because it isn't done in Latin makes about as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pinker/forcing-modern-speakers-of-english-to-not-whoops-not-to-split-an/) [Steven Pinker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pinker/) ## More by Joan D. Chittister > [A hard heart makes for hard judgments; a compassionate heart understands the humanity of the one we presume to judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/a-hard-heart-makes-for-hard-judgments-a-compassionate-heart/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [To be enlightened is to know that heaven is not "coming." Heaven is here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/to-be-enlightened-is-to-know-that-heaven-is-not-coming-heaven-is-here/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We don't change as we get older - we just get to be more of what we've always been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-more-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [We may well be the ones Proverbs warns when it reminds us: "Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value the one who speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-may-well-be-the-ones-proverbs-warns-when-it-reminds-us-kings-take/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Today we live in a world that judges its achievements by speed and busyness. Â… We are so busy making things happen that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/today-we-live-in-a-world-that-judges-its-achievements-by-speed-and/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [My limitations make space for the gifts of other people. Without the grace of our limitations we would be isolated, dry, and insufferable creatures…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/my-limitations-make-space-for-the-gifts-of-other-people-without-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Compassion makes no distinction between friends and enemies, neighbors and outsiders, compatriots and foreigners. Compassion is the gate to human community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/compassion-makes-no-distinction-between-friends-and-enemies-neighbors/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Prophets are so dangerous because they cry in season and out of season, politely and impolitely, loud and long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/prophets-are-so-dangerous-because-they-cry-in-season-and-out-of/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“We don't change as we get older - we just get to be ore of what we've always been.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/we-don-t-change-as-we-get-older-we-just-get-to-be-ore-of-what-we-ve/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“What happens to the spiritual life of a young girl who is made to understand, consciously or subconsciously, that she has no place in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/what-happens-to-the-spiritual-life-of-a-young-girl-who-is-made-to/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Old age tells us that we ourselves have failed often, have never really done anything completely right, have never truly been perfect - anad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/old-age-tells-us-that-we-ourselves-have-failed-often-have-never/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [But we are here to depart from this world as finished as we can possibly become.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/but-we-are-here-to-depart-from-this-world-as-finished-as-we-can/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [“Whatever happens to the body, what toll age takes on the physical, the spirit does not grow old. In our dreams, in the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/whatever-happens-to-the-body-what-toll-age-takes-on-the-physical-the/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Two ideas militate against our consciously contributing to a better world. The idea that we can do everything or the conclusion that we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/two-ideas-militate-against-our-consciously-contributing-to-a-better/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) > [Compassion for the other comes out of our ability to accept ourselves. Until we realize both our own weaknesses and our own privileges, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-d-chittister/compassion-for-the-other-comes-out-of-our-ability-to-accept-ourselves/) [Joan D. Chittister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) [Explore all 156 Joan D. Chittister quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-d-chittister/) ## More Authenticity quotes > [“the property that grounded the self in Romanticism was sincerity, and in modernism was authenticity, then in postmod ernism it is visibility.10”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hedges/the-property-that-grounded-the-self-in-romanticism-was-sincerity-and/) [Chris Hedges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hedges/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Real artists offer authenticity, not just money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhymefest/real-artists-offer-authenticity-not-just-money/) [Rhymefest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhymefest/) > [“I figure the more people think I'm just mildly weird, the less likely they are to know how weird I really am.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-hooyenga/i-figure-the-more-people-think-i-m-just-mildly-weird-the-less-likely/) Melanie Hooyenga > [I think people can read authenticity and they know when you're involved and when you're just slapping your name on something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-la-anthony/i-think-people-can-read-authenticity-and-they-know-when-you-re/) [La La Anthony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-la-anthony/) > [“I strive for authenticity even though it brings with it vulnerability and the inevitable judgment of others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-r-w-lee/i-strive-for-authenticity-even-though-it-brings-with-it-vulnerability/) [L.R.W. Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-r-w-lee/) > [Children go where they find sincerity and authenticity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-cantona/children-go-where-they-find-sincerity-and-authenticity/) [Eric Cantona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-cantona/) > [Accepting the reality of our sinfulness means accepting our authentic self. Judas could not face his shadow; Peter could. The latter befriended the impostor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brennan-manning/accepting-the-reality-of-our-sinfulness-means-accepting-our-authentic/) [Brennan Manning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brennan-manning/) > [“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, focus your energy on what you can create.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-bennett/instead-of-worrying-about-what-you-cannot-control-focus-your-energy/) [Roy Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-bennett/) > [Anything that I ever do is from the heart and authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belinda-carlisle/anything-that-i-ever-do-is-from-the-heart-and-authentic/) [Belinda Carlisle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belinda-carlisle/) > [What I love about Nivea is they're all about authenticity. The brand isn't pretending to be anything it isn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-virtue/what-i-love-about-nivea-is-they-re-all-about-authenticity-the-brand/) [Tessa Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-virtue/) > [There is nothing which so certifies the genuineness of a man's faith as his patience and his patient endurance, his keeping on steadily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-nothing-which-so-certifies-the-genuineness-of-a-man-s-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you're really famous, there's very little authenticity in people, so you prefer the company of children.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-ryan/when-you-re-really-famous-there-s-very-little-authenticity-in-people/) [Katherine Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-ryan/) > [“We could not be fulfilled if we weren't inauthentic some of the time—inauthentic, that is, in relation to such things as our passing desires…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-de-botton/we-could-not-be-fulfilled-if-we-weren-t-inauthentic-some-of-the-time/) [Alain de Botton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-de-botton/) > [No man knows the genuineness of his convictions until he has sacrificed something for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/no-man-knows-the-genuineness-of-his-convictions-until-he-has/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) [Browse all 1,437 Authenticity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/authenticity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Humility is authenticity. 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