#10a A Man Too Humble?

I have been reflecting on Trunks’ development in his Dragon Ball Super arc, and the question that I keep asking myself is whether or not there is such a thing as too humble. Let me back up and explain. 

I wrote another post in Trunks, which I will post a little bit later, in which Trunks retreats from his own timeline to call in our main cast for help. He takes on this timeline’s version of his dad in a sparring match and is out-matched by a landslide. But instead of letting this bother him, he smiles. The day is won because he has found a power that is stronger than that of his enemies, and this power will play on his side. In my other post, I compared him to a little brother calling big brother to take care of the problem for him. The point was how we have to mature and become our own big brothers in this way. 

And then I thought about my understanding of humility and how it hinges on being willing to give up your need to be the lone superhero and do whatever it takes to make sure that the thing gets done. And I got to thinking: isn’t that what Trunks did? He made himself willing to put everything down and to do whatever it took to make sure the people were saved? Am I, then, bashing Trunks for being humble? 

I actually don’t think so. It’s actually not caring enough. How is that? Because Trunks couldn’t effectively ensure the safety of anyone because he neglected his power. Being good or bad is how we use what we can do. Trunks basically made a civilian of himself by not training harder. If you willingly let yourself become useless, that’s the same thing as choosing not to face the bad guy in front of you because in both scenarios, the bad guy wins. 

And nowhere in any book of virtues does it say that having power is wrong. It’s falling in love with that power, so much so that you would do other bad stuff to get or keep it, that’s wrong. Look at Vegeta, the giver of this “do better” speech. He was wrong. He was so desperate for power to kick Goku’s butt that he gave in to mind control and butchered an entire stadium of fans to get it. That’s bad. 

But to turn around and say that wanting to get better and stronger is evil is also wrong. Vegeta was right to give Cabba a verbal lashing when he asked to have Vegeta as a teacher in the middle of battle. It showed how little he cared to try to be better, that he would ask his enemy for advice. At best, he should have learned from Vegeta as they fought, rather than admitting defeat on the spot. 

But what does that mean for us? It means that we should train brutally, giving ourselves permission to get hungry for growth. But more than an emotional drive to grow should be the discipline to keep moving. Honestly, if you don’t have to ever push through a day where you don’t want to do something, I question whether or not you are truly growing enough. The difference between a man with a cause and an excited child is what they do when they don’t feel like pushing any further. If you give up because it isn’t fun anymore, or there’s an easier way forward, then you are just a kid with his toys. But if you push yourself beyond and keep pushing till your body refuses to budge, pat yourself on the back, because you are a true man. 

Or get someone else to pat your back for you, since you probably can’t lift your arms.

But we should also have the self-control to put that hunger aside when we need to. We should be like the new Vegeta, who was willing to skip a training session to be there for his wife as she gave birth to their next child. Not that this makes us weak, but it gives passion a place to grow. And if you read yesterday’s post on passion, you would know that it actually makes you stronger. All in all, the mark of a quality man is being able to be who you must be, rather than who you feel like being. That is the mark of true greatness.

But that’s not to say we can simply refuse to ever improve, it simply means that we can remain in control of ourselves and our lives and still come out on top. That rest day won’t kill you. Not at all! It’s funny how many times I have come back to the need for a rest day. I guess God really knew what He was doing when He insisted that we dedicate a day to chilling out. The more time goes by, the more I see how good a sabbath really is. 

So push yourself to grow! Grow stronger, wiser and smarter with each passing day! But take a day to rest, reminding yourself that there’s more to life than being a slave to your desires. 

I pray that rest finds you this day, and that the God of all wisdom guides you on your path of growth. 

Until Next Time

May Peace be your Guide.