Dignity in Every Act of Life…

“Remember this,” said Marcus Aurelius, “that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life.” True dignity is a most commendable quality of character, “reserve of manner, grace, and bearing” with no connotation of pompousness or conceit. Being made in the image of God, every person is honor bound to conduct himself with dignity and self-respect. The highest example of dignity that men were ever aware of was Jesus of Nazareth, the Master of Mankind, who never lost His composure under any accusation. There can be dignity in any honest or useful occupation on earth. “…There is,” said Booker T. Washington, “as much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.” There is dignity in honesty, dignity in gratitude, dignity in keeping clean. There is dignity in reverence, dignity in keeping the commandments. With sincere dignity comes respect, and respect can preserve a marriage, even when some other things in life are lacking. “…Morality…alone possesses dignity,” said Immanuel Kant⎯not stuffiness, not airs or delusions, not superficial pride, not exhibitionism, or immodesty or far-out-fashions or fads, but just simple, plain, honesty, human dignity in which a man is respected as a man⎯in any honorable occupation, in any sincere service⎯the dignity of character, respect, and honest effort. No honest man need shrink from the human race or apologize for his existence. All are made in the image of God, and may become more like him in dignity and self-respect. We summarize with these lines from Wordsworth:

“True dignity abides with him alone

Who, in the silent hour of inward thought,

Can still suspect, and still revere himself,

In lowliness of heart.”