About half way through my Lent journey this year the Lord began to raise an awareness that He wanted to work on pride in my life. Not the type of pride I take in my wife that helps me cherish her as an undeserved gift. Nor the pride that swells in my heart when Owen accomplishes a great feat – like counting to ten with only one hand…1, 2, 3, 9, 10 – amazing!
No. The pride God is dealing with is much more sinister. If this pride were a botanical disease it would attack the plant’s roots, choking its ability to absorb nutrients, causing decay and eventually a funeral.
When God slowly lifted the curtain to reveal I had a pride problem I was surprised. After all, I’ve always prided myself on being humble. But the Master began to slowly point out that somehow an unhealthy judgmental attitude had entered the back door of my personality, took his shoes off, and decided to stay a while. How do you get rid of an unwelcome guest? Pride is sort of like the Cat in the Hat. He causes a big mess.
As I asked the Lord how pride was evident in my life he pointed first to the freeway. Why was it I was getting so ticked off when people didn’t drive the way I thought they should? Often my anger at other drivers because they don’t obey certain traffic laws isn’t righteous anger like Jesus driving the money changers from the temple (I would sometimes like to take a whip to the driver of that red car…simmer down now!).
My anger was a symptom of an underlying attitude malfunction. This attitude was evident in other areas as well, far from the freeway. You see my heart was eager to point out others faults and quickly judge their actions with no real interest in their well being or offering encouragement. In some devious way it seems I was looking for a way to prop myself up by leaning against the pile of what I perceived to be the shortcomings of others. Pride was encouraging me to think too highly of myself and too little of others.
The Lord brought me to the familiar teaching in Matthew 7 about judging others. Jesus asks, “how can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out of your eye,’ and behold, the log is in your own eye?” Good question, don’t you think? Jesus continues, “first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye (emphasis added)”
The issue is not that I am prohibited from exercising judgment on issues and even people’s behavior. As Christian brothers and sisters we are called to encourage, correct, and hold one another accountable to our commitment to Jesus and the life He calls us to live (1 Cor 5.12). There’s an order to things – a “first” and a “then.”
The issue is whether I’ve “first” taken a hard look in the mirror and seen myself in the full light of my own shortcomings (Rom 3.23). Praise God, my failures aren’t the end of the story because Jesus’ grace covers them. And “then,” with an eyeful of Jesus instead of timber, my pride is removed and an attitude of true love blossoms. Now, I am ready to try and lend a hand to someone else.
When my heart is calibrated properly on the great grace I’ve received in Jesus and I allow the Holy Spirit room to operate inside me, then I’m ready to love the people around me in Jesus’ name. It’s time for me to help pride get his shoes back on and show him the door!
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