Francis was truly the Minim and considered himself a nothing before God and men, shunning honours.
In the Sources we find how he considered himself: "And I, little brother Francis, your servant, for what little I can, confirm to you within and without this most holy blessing [...]" (FF 131).
Being last among all was the foundation of the friar minor and the community.
In this regard, he once said:
"The Order and the life of the friars minor resembles a small flock, which the Son of God, in this last hour, has asked of his heavenly Father, saying: Father, I would like you to raise up and give to me in this last hour a new humble people, different in its humility and poverty from all the others who have gone before it, and happy to possess only me alone".
And the Father answered his beloved Son: 'Son, what you have asked, is done. ( FF 1617).
In fact, the servant of God is described by Francis, in the Legend of Perugia, thus:
"The servant of God is like a painting, a creature made in the image of God, in which it is God who is honoured in his benefits. The servant of God, therefore, similar to a painted table, must not refer anything to himself: honour and glory must be rendered to God alone" (FF 1660).
"Francis wanted to be humble in the midst of his brothers. In order to preserve a greater humility, a few years after his conversion [...] he resigned the office of prelate, saying in the presence of all the brothers present:
"From now on I am dead to you. But here is Brother Peter Cattanio, whom I and all of you will obey" (FF 1661).
He was truly, throughout his life, infinitely small and a servant of all, following in the footsteps of Jesus.
The friars themselves, in the Rule, are asked to live as strangers and pilgrims in this world, and in the early days "he wanted them to live in lazarettos serving lepers" (FF 1658).