When Pride Dictates Who We Are

We have this deep longing, as human beings, to be known and yet, there seems to be the tendency, in our humanness, to clothe ourselves with one of two possible garments of pride because even with good intentions, it is easy to forget the vital point that we were created in the likeness of God, not created to be our own god. Where God says we are very good, pride says we're not enough.

There are those of us who, in the name of service or obligation, may take on too much, more tasks than God may be calling us to. It looks noble from the outside, but it's simply pride. It's looking to others, comparing ourselves, and out-doing others or ourselves rather than seeking God's will for our sense of achievement and purpose. We act because something tells us we're not enough. Sometimes we burn out. Sometimes we crash. And just maybe we're so busy on our agenda, we miss the very thing that is intended to make all the difference.

Then there are those of us who, in the name of humility, will not step up to the plate..."Who me? I couldn't do that. There are many more qualified people for that task." Maybe it's revealed by procrastination or holding back, but it's definitely not humility. It's just another form of pride. We're still comparing ourselves. The focus is still on self. "I'm not going to put myself out there if I'm not certain I will do well i.e. I'll get some self-gratification out of it." We don't act because something tells us we're not enough. And just maybe, in our inhibition, we miss the very thing that is intended to make all the difference.

And yet we can wear both. We may want more at the same time we may be inhibited to pursue more. We may desire to make a name for ourselves at the same time we fear our inability to. It can be debilitating, this conundrum. Some seem to just not care. And yet, that may be the most obvious form of pride there is, when we will wear just about anything to cover up who we really are or what really care about.

But we weren't created to measure our worthiness by the next person. We weren't created to do only what we can do perfectly or well on our own.  And we weren't created to make a name for ourselves. We were created to need our Creator for what He calls us to and to worship our Creator with what he calls us to. We were created to make His name great through our gifting and service. We were created, frankly, without any garments at all and the only thing meant to cover us, by God's grace, is Jesus - God himself.

So for today, may we fill our longings by humbly crouching low with eyes focused  high, as we seek that perfect fulfillment in Christ.

May we hang up the garment of pride and humbly accept our limitations and within them, step up to the tasks we are called to. May we have the ability to discern the difference, and in that, may we never, ever miss a moment of God's perfect calling on our lives.

Instead, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and do not obey your flesh and its desires. Romans 13:14

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