John and Jesus met and John said, "Ask God's forgiveness for me, for you are better than me." Jesus replied: "You are better than me. I pronounced peace upon myself, whereas God pronounced peace upon you." God recognized the merit of them both. (al-Zuhd, Ahmad ibn-Hanbal)

This is almost certainly a reference to Quran 19 where Jesus explains, "I am a servant of God. He has given me the scripture, and has appointed me a prophet. He made me blessed wherever I go, and enjoined me to observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and the obligatory charity (Zakat) for as long as I live. I am to honor my mother; He did not make me a disobedient rebel. And peace be upon me the day I was born, the day I die, and the day I shall be raised up."

To our ears there is something over-done and false in this exchange of humilities. We might even hear a competition in self-deprecation. It also offers a portrait of Jesus, and his relationship with John, that is at odds with that of the gospels.

We are not a culture that cultivates humility. Quiet confidence, yes. Walking softly (but carrying a big stick), is respected. John Wayne was not a show-off. But was he humble?

I felt nothing but the revulsion Dickens intended when Mrs. Heep tells David Copperfield, "Umble we are, umble we have been, umble we shall ever be." Clearly it is a false humility, even a prideful humility. This is the caricature of humility that we disdain, without giving much thought to a reality behind the cartoon.

But in approaching and being in relationship with God, which might be more efficacious: confidence or humility?