Right this moment, as Easter suddenly rushes up onto us, maybe it's time to take a small look at the most-tantamount issue which us humans have to face, on our way down Jesus' Path to spiritual freedom: Pride.
..........
"God opposes the proud and give grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
..........
Let's look at the basics, OK? Humans are, first and foremost, pleasure seekers. We want pleasantness instead of painfulness. Yep, pain versus no-pain. Who wouldn't? By "pleasure", I am not referring only to lust and thrill-seeking, by no means. I'm talking about us humans' natural tendency to not want to experience hardship, pain, difficulties, stress .... And this is a good thing. Nothing wrong with feeling good! Yes, humans want to feel good about themselves and this is a beneficial thing, no doubt. Being proud of a good self-image is surely the backbone of sincerity and maturity. My father and mother, THROUGH their daily actions, taught me to be proud to obey your parents and to do a hard day's work. My Dad used to have his chest swell with pride when I brought home my first pay checks, when I caught my first BIG catfish or shot my first rabbits and pheasants and, especially when I brought home better grades in school than C's. That's what teaching your kids stuff is all about. My Dad literally cried when I told him that I had joined the Army, and I LOVED it when my oldest boy joined the Navy.
But, as the point of this post illustrates, when a person begins to OOZE with self-pride, basic humility flies straight out the nearest window, right? In Galatians 6:4, we are told that, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, WITHOUT COMPARING HIMSELF WITH SOMEBODY ELSE." A big, "AMEN!!", to that, right? Yet ALL people, even us Christians who are trying to walk VERY close to God, subconsciously look down on other people who we think practice a lesser level of spirituality than us. And I am sure we very often avoid certain people because of their appearance, who we could be witnessing our faith to or, at least, showing simple kindness to, right??
.........
So, what about this "humility" thing, NOW that we're thinking about the opposite? Firstly, there's the humility which denotes someone NOT thinking themselves better than other people. ANYONE, in my opinion, Believer or not, can experience and practice THIS one often, don't you think? But, there's this other form of humility and it takes a person to the point of thinking too lowly of themselves, to the point of self-deprecation. I'm sure you've known people who seem to just thrive on putting themselves down, talking little of themselves in such negative ways. Yes, one type of humility is harmful, obviously, and the other isn't. But both kinds of folk surely need our prayers.
..........
This post wants to maybe direct your thoughts toward what just might be a "balanced life", on our human tightrope of "Pride and Humility". We don't want to practice self-deprecation but we also don't want to walk around thinking so proudly that we're at least one notch above certain folks. And I think this all has to do with the word, "CREDIT", as in, who gets the credit for what we do and have in life: us or God? I want to tell myself that I am using God's blessings and gifts wisely, and I don't think this is being haughty, for I am not very boastful about such things, unless you read my posts as such, I don't know. What I post on this website is what I think, how I act and what I say to others. Sure, I am trying to impress you with my command of the English language and my knowledge of behavioral psychology, but I am also trying to impress UPON you the urgency, the importance of looking at yourself in light of your human fallacies and ALSO in the Light of God's Word, as I personally interpret it. I am an artist and I share my talents with others. Period. I can't help it. But I don't put down other people because they are not practicing my personal art forms, or MY opinions. Yet, on the other hand, I am not shy with telling people about myself, and I guess that's lifting myself up, but so be it. Maybe YOU are the same or quite different, I don't know. But I know I'm human and puff myself up more often than I should, I am sure. We all WILL, on occasion. But the truth of the matter is, who do you puff up more often, YOUR works or God's Works? I have lived a frugal lifestyle and done well with the resources God has afforded me. I am not in debt up to my neck and I pay all my bills on time, EVERY time. Isn't THIS being a good steward of what God has given us?
.........
Dear God, help me not to be the person who is walking around saying with his actions, "Hey, look at me!". Help me, Father, to be the person who more often says,, 'Hey, look at Jesus!" I am proud to be Your child but I need You to tell me when I am acting arrogant about it, Father. My old egocentric ways will always haunt me, Lord, and I need Your Holy Spirit to slap me on the back of the head whenever I am stepping out of line. Thank You, God, for always wanting to listen to my ramblings. Amen.
..........
Be satisfied with your life, my Friend, and be yourself ...... especially around God. Know when enough is enough, in all your manners and lifestyle. Egos are fragile, indeed, but our hearts and minds were designed to experience mostly all things, all thoughts and desires. It is for US to turn to God when we sense difficulties and weaknesses, and even strengths. We KNOW when we are ego-tripping, mostly. We know when we're looking down on others or puffing ourselves up. Our ego is a lot like hairspray, I think. A little goes a long ways, I guess. I know this even though I don't use it. Using a lot of hairspray SHOWS, doesn't it, ladies??
Hairspray AND ego-tripping can easily both look rather stiff. For me, anyway, it's obvious when folk are puffing themselves up. They aren't very friendly and often don't even look at others and avoid direct eye-contact. You know what I mean. We all do it, to one degreee or another. We gotta use our spiritual hairspray sparingly, until we get to the point in our faith-practice when we don't use it hardly at all ...... because with our growing faith, we won't need to, you think??
I so strongly sense that our greatest strengths can often be our greatest weaknesses, and vice-versa. If we apply our strengths in the wrong ways, or the wrong places, they can make us look weak. If we give our weaknesses to God, He will show us that HE is the One to lean on.
There is a person in our family who professes to be a strong Believer yet he is most-often preaching to his family, being very intolerant, and always telling us that we are wrong or incorrect on many seemingly-unimportant issues. He is a Sunday School teacher, an elder in his church, and I guess he's O.K. at these things, I don't know. But, at home quite often, he is a pain to his family and appears to stay angry, not showing much love at all. Strength is not a universally-applied trait, I think. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists the seven cardinal sins: PRIDE IS NO. 1 !! If we act graciously and kind to others, it is most-likely that we will receive these acts back to us, and folks will care for us. And the opposite is obviously true, also.
Pride is extremely subtle, to say the least, my Friends in Christ Jesus. Satan plans it that way, I am sure. That's why God directed the writers of the Holy Bible to talk about pride so much, don't you think? Just like money, pride can be abused and mis-used so VERY easily. That's why it's so important to ask God DAILY to tell us when we're stepping over the line. It's not wrong to enjoy recognition, or to even let your chest psychologically swell when you are complimentd. But I STRONGLY recommmend that, when you get complimented by another person, that you need to interject IMMEDIATELY just WHERE you got that gift, or idea or talent, right??
WALK the tightrope but remember to remember the Balancing Power of Our Father in Heaven ........... it's HIS Word that keeps our eyes open, our hearts pure and our thoughts focused on Him. Acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. THAT is His Promise.
May God speed you on this. Tommy
..........
"God opposes the proud and give grace to the humble." (James 4:6)
..........
Let's look at the basics, OK? Humans are, first and foremost, pleasure seekers. We want pleasantness instead of painfulness. Yep, pain versus no-pain. Who wouldn't? By "pleasure", I am not referring only to lust and thrill-seeking, by no means. I'm talking about us humans' natural tendency to not want to experience hardship, pain, difficulties, stress .... And this is a good thing. Nothing wrong with feeling good! Yes, humans want to feel good about themselves and this is a beneficial thing, no doubt. Being proud of a good self-image is surely the backbone of sincerity and maturity. My father and mother, THROUGH their daily actions, taught me to be proud to obey your parents and to do a hard day's work. My Dad used to have his chest swell with pride when I brought home my first pay checks, when I caught my first BIG catfish or shot my first rabbits and pheasants and, especially when I brought home better grades in school than C's. That's what teaching your kids stuff is all about. My Dad literally cried when I told him that I had joined the Army, and I LOVED it when my oldest boy joined the Navy.
But, as the point of this post illustrates, when a person begins to OOZE with self-pride, basic humility flies straight out the nearest window, right? In Galatians 6:4, we are told that, "Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, WITHOUT COMPARING HIMSELF WITH SOMEBODY ELSE." A big, "AMEN!!", to that, right? Yet ALL people, even us Christians who are trying to walk VERY close to God, subconsciously look down on other people who we think practice a lesser level of spirituality than us. And I am sure we very often avoid certain people because of their appearance, who we could be witnessing our faith to or, at least, showing simple kindness to, right??
.........
So, what about this "humility" thing, NOW that we're thinking about the opposite? Firstly, there's the humility which denotes someone NOT thinking themselves better than other people. ANYONE, in my opinion, Believer or not, can experience and practice THIS one often, don't you think? But, there's this other form of humility and it takes a person to the point of thinking too lowly of themselves, to the point of self-deprecation. I'm sure you've known people who seem to just thrive on putting themselves down, talking little of themselves in such negative ways. Yes, one type of humility is harmful, obviously, and the other isn't. But both kinds of folk surely need our prayers.
..........
This post wants to maybe direct your thoughts toward what just might be a "balanced life", on our human tightrope of "Pride and Humility". We don't want to practice self-deprecation but we also don't want to walk around thinking so proudly that we're at least one notch above certain folks. And I think this all has to do with the word, "CREDIT", as in, who gets the credit for what we do and have in life: us or God? I want to tell myself that I am using God's blessings and gifts wisely, and I don't think this is being haughty, for I am not very boastful about such things, unless you read my posts as such, I don't know. What I post on this website is what I think, how I act and what I say to others. Sure, I am trying to impress you with my command of the English language and my knowledge of behavioral psychology, but I am also trying to impress UPON you the urgency, the importance of looking at yourself in light of your human fallacies and ALSO in the Light of God's Word, as I personally interpret it. I am an artist and I share my talents with others. Period. I can't help it. But I don't put down other people because they are not practicing my personal art forms, or MY opinions. Yet, on the other hand, I am not shy with telling people about myself, and I guess that's lifting myself up, but so be it. Maybe YOU are the same or quite different, I don't know. But I know I'm human and puff myself up more often than I should, I am sure. We all WILL, on occasion. But the truth of the matter is, who do you puff up more often, YOUR works or God's Works? I have lived a frugal lifestyle and done well with the resources God has afforded me. I am not in debt up to my neck and I pay all my bills on time, EVERY time. Isn't THIS being a good steward of what God has given us?
.........
Dear God, help me not to be the person who is walking around saying with his actions, "Hey, look at me!". Help me, Father, to be the person who more often says,, 'Hey, look at Jesus!" I am proud to be Your child but I need You to tell me when I am acting arrogant about it, Father. My old egocentric ways will always haunt me, Lord, and I need Your Holy Spirit to slap me on the back of the head whenever I am stepping out of line. Thank You, God, for always wanting to listen to my ramblings. Amen.
..........
Be satisfied with your life, my Friend, and be yourself ...... especially around God. Know when enough is enough, in all your manners and lifestyle. Egos are fragile, indeed, but our hearts and minds were designed to experience mostly all things, all thoughts and desires. It is for US to turn to God when we sense difficulties and weaknesses, and even strengths. We KNOW when we are ego-tripping, mostly. We know when we're looking down on others or puffing ourselves up. Our ego is a lot like hairspray, I think. A little goes a long ways, I guess. I know this even though I don't use it. Using a lot of hairspray SHOWS, doesn't it, ladies??
Hairspray AND ego-tripping can easily both look rather stiff. For me, anyway, it's obvious when folk are puffing themselves up. They aren't very friendly and often don't even look at others and avoid direct eye-contact. You know what I mean. We all do it, to one degreee or another. We gotta use our spiritual hairspray sparingly, until we get to the point in our faith-practice when we don't use it hardly at all ...... because with our growing faith, we won't need to, you think??I so strongly sense that our greatest strengths can often be our greatest weaknesses, and vice-versa. If we apply our strengths in the wrong ways, or the wrong places, they can make us look weak. If we give our weaknesses to God, He will show us that HE is the One to lean on.
There is a person in our family who professes to be a strong Believer yet he is most-often preaching to his family, being very intolerant, and always telling us that we are wrong or incorrect on many seemingly-unimportant issues. He is a Sunday School teacher, an elder in his church, and I guess he's O.K. at these things, I don't know. But, at home quite often, he is a pain to his family and appears to stay angry, not showing much love at all. Strength is not a universally-applied trait, I think. Proverbs 6:16-19 lists the seven cardinal sins: PRIDE IS NO. 1 !! If we act graciously and kind to others, it is most-likely that we will receive these acts back to us, and folks will care for us. And the opposite is obviously true, also.
Pride is extremely subtle, to say the least, my Friends in Christ Jesus. Satan plans it that way, I am sure. That's why God directed the writers of the Holy Bible to talk about pride so much, don't you think? Just like money, pride can be abused and mis-used so VERY easily. That's why it's so important to ask God DAILY to tell us when we're stepping over the line. It's not wrong to enjoy recognition, or to even let your chest psychologically swell when you are complimentd. But I STRONGLY recommmend that, when you get complimented by another person, that you need to interject IMMEDIATELY just WHERE you got that gift, or idea or talent, right??
WALK the tightrope but remember to remember the Balancing Power of Our Father in Heaven ........... it's HIS Word that keeps our eyes open, our hearts pure and our thoughts focused on Him. Acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. THAT is His Promise.
May God speed you on this. Tommy
