Encouragement

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He struts through the office, piles of paperwork in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. His swagger swells with power, as he leans in at your cubicle. " Here's that paperwork you needed last week. I understand the deadline is today? Well, hurry, hurry, hurry. Oh, yeah, the coffee's done." He smiles with arrogance, and sickening charisma.

She steps off the elevator one leg at a time. Her clothing is fashionable, yet quite revealing. She offers everything and seemingly nothing, all she walks to her desk. She is groomed for success so to speak, until she abruptly starts yelling to her assistant. The pretty mouth spews obscenities as she shuffles paperwork. It's going to be a long day.

These are healthy examples of pride; exaggerated perhaps, but ironically familiar. It is black and white on paper, so easy to call out and say what is what.

But then there is me, careening down the highway, zipping in and out of traffic to get to where I need to be. It's the "don't you know who I am?" man, unwilling to wait like the rest of the human species has to. Pride is the "All eyes on me." it is the " I have arrived."

But it is also….

When we look in the mirror and complain. When we berate ourselves, claiming how stupid, fat and ugly we are. It is when we blame our parents for our insecurities, when we let Satan put us in his place. It is when we refuse to see ourselves as God made us, and only as what we would do differently.

Pride is anything that boasts itself above God. When we ridicule ourselves we are actually telling God He screwed up. Do you realize how baffling it is to the God of the universe who spent His time and very breath to make you, to have you compare yourself to another creation and wail," I am not good enough!"

That's what I do. Is that what you do? Do you in your blinded pride think you know better than God? God refers to a pride that stinketh. Perhaps that is this pride, the self-degrading pride that says we are not good enough, the lie that whispers we are stupid.

I have spent too much time there myself. And when I think of Jesus in His humility, he was confident in His Father. We aren't mean to find confidence in ourselves, but to rely more on Him, so as to create the same dependence and power Christ had with His Father.

I just wanted everyone that reads this to know how much God really loves you. How special you are to Him, how beloved. He cherishes you, purifies you through trials, judgment and repentance to draw you closer to Him, and loves you. He is proud of you… and not the "pride that stinketh!"

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