Am I committing the sin of pride?

BritneyCuthbert88 · Jun 21, 2013

Hi all,

Earlier today I found a piece of gum stuck in the back of my hair and after trying the usual methods to remove it(which only seemed to make it worse), I've been forced to have a quite dramatic unscheduled haircut. Since then I've been feeling very upset and, admittedly, have shed some tears. Now I'm wondering if I'm betraying my Lord by feeling like this as it could be construed as vanity? I know this will seem dumb to some people but I know some other women will be able to relate.

I'd appreciate any words of advice.

bricklayer · Jun 21, 2013

"Am I commiting the sin of pride?", was asked.

Consider the self-centered nature of the query.

The roots go deeper than many may realize.

Damian Newman · Jun 21, 2013

BritneyCuthbert88 said:
Hi all,

Earlier today I found a piece of gum stuck in the back of my hair and after trying the usual methods to remove it(which only seemed to make it worse), I've been forced to have a quite dramatic unscheduled haircut. Since then I've been feeling very upset and, admittedly, have shed some tears. Now I'm wondering if I'm betraying my Lord by feeling like this as it could be construed as vanity? I know this will seem dumb to some people but I know some other women will be able to relate.

I'd appreciate any words of advice.

You're not sinning because you haven't been deceived by these emotions, and have been convicted about it, with God giving you the eyes to see how it's so vain.

We're all spiritually immature to an extent. I get ungodly emotions simmering in me, but because I don't go along with them, I'm not sinning, instead, I'm disciplining myself - we're dying to ourselves.

JesusLovesUs15 · Jun 21, 2013

Quite frankly, your emotions are probably due to some deeper problem. On the surface, it may seem like pride, but you may actually have cried because of some other emotion that you're pushing down and it is now resurfacing.

IanCG · Jun 22, 2013

I think you're just being a normal woman and there's no need to feel guilty over something so trivial.

BritneyCuthbert88 · Jun 23, 2013

Thank you for the replies. The truth is that when I sent that message I was very much caught up in the moment and allowed myself to get consumed by my own vanity. I'm extremely repentant for those selfish thoughts and will learn from them.

(Proverbs 11:2)
When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

yasic · Jun 23, 2013

BritneyCuthbert88 said:
Thank you for the replies. The truth is that when I sent that message I was very much caught up in the moment and allowed myself to get consumed by my own vanity. I'm extremely repentant for those selfish thoughts and will learn from them.

(Proverbs 11:2)
When pride comes, then comes shame; But with the humble is wisdom.

I am sorry you feel that way. I do hope your viewpoint changes in the future.

Cocoafrost · Jun 23, 2013

You're hurt because maybe you're beating yourself up for not realizing the gum was there in the first place, and now your hair had to get cut so as to remove what you didn't at first see that put it in peril.

You would be a brick wall if you weren't hurt by this sudden transformation. It's not pride, it's not self centeredness. It's emotion. When you lose that then be worried. Till then nothing anyone says can make it all feel better. It takes time.

When I had a guy that was a friend, I thought, who was also a hairdresser and had cut my hair for a year destroy it with a bad perm and a lousy cut because he was mad over something I didn't even realize and saw that as his way to get back at me, I was devastated.
My best friend was with me and getting her hair cut by one of his associates at the time. She said, well don't worry! It'll grow back honey!

As if that would make me feel better and I appreciated her effort. However, my first thought was, if that happens in the next two minutes I'll be a happy camper.

But it didn't. And so I dealt with it.

You're not your hair! You are the child of God, the temple that houses the most high. And the hair that graces the crown of your head is not who you are. It's simply part of what makes you beautiful, with or without it there. :hug:

Find peace child. It'll grow back. No, not in the next ten minutes. But just look at how wonderfully refreshing a visual surprise you'll now be to all those friends and associates who had grown so use to seeing the old you.

Cope! Make it fun. You have no other choice. Otherwise, if you dwell on the cause, you'll give the gum the power.

And that would be wrong.

BritneyCuthbert88 said:
Hi all,

Earlier today I found a piece of gum stuck in the back of my hair and after trying the usual methods to remove it(which only seemed to make it worse), I've been forced to have a quite dramatic unscheduled haircut. Since then I've been feeling very upset and, admittedly, have shed some tears. Now I'm wondering if I'm betraying my Lord by feeling like this as it could be construed as vanity? I know this will seem dumb to some people but I know some other women will be able to relate.

I'd appreciate any words of advice.

quatona · Jun 24, 2013

BritneyCuthbert88 said:
Am I committing the sin of pride?

Hi all,

Earlier today I found a piece of gum stuck in the back of my hair and after trying the usual methods to remove it(which only seemed to make it worse), I've been forced to have a quite dramatic unscheduled haircut. Since then I've been feeling very upset and, admittedly, have shed some tears. Now I'm wondering if I'm betraying my Lord by feeling like this as it could be construed as vanity? I know this will seem dumb to some people but I know some other women will be able to relate.

I'd appreciate any words of advice.

Couple of points, if I may:

1. I´m not sure "pride" and "vanity" are synonyms in the bible.
2. It seems to me that in order to "commit a sin" you must do something - as opposed to merely feel something. (Now, I guess, this is debated among different fractions of Christians - but personally I think that a metaphysical view that makes you feel guilty for your feelings is quite unhealthy).
3. Everyone is - to a greater or lesser degree - concerned with their looks. I´m sure you have been concerned with yours (and putting some effort in clothing, painting etc.) even before this incident. Apparently "vanity" (i.e. being overly concerned with your looks) is not an on/off thing - it´s a point in a gradation that I don´t remember being clearly defined or determined in the bible.
4. Not being a theist myself, I would recommend you to - at least for a moment - take god out of the equation and look at this issue in a down-to-earth manner:
This incident made you realize that you are more concerned with your looks than you´d like to be. I´d recommend you to ask yourself two questions:
a. What is the "appropriate" degree to which you feel you may be concerned with your looks?
b. What may be the reason(s) you are more concerned with your looks than you feel is appropriate?

Chajara · Jun 25, 2013

Man, if that happened to me and I had to completely change my hairstyle I'd bawl my eyes out too. I like my hair the way it is, thanks much.

If your god is so petty that he'd consider that absolutely justifiable and normal feeling a sin then what exactly makes him worthy of worship?

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Am I committing the sin of pride?

BritneyCuthbert88

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bricklayer

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Damian Newman

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JesusLovesUs15

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IanCG

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BritneyCuthbert88

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yasic

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Cocoafrost

"What goes up must ..." really shock the seagulls!

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quatona

"God"? What do you mean??

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Chajara

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