Pride Go’eth Before A Fall…

It is always easier to overlook our own faults in light of the glaring ones of others. We excuse ourselves on the grounds that our own imperfections are easier to live with; we get on fine with our shortcomings, but it is the faults of others that cause us to stumble, to make our lives a misery. How conceited is that? Sure, it is easier to live with our own faults, because, living with them, we have grown more accustomed, more sure of how to handle them. We think, ‘oh, if only so-and-so would take this shortcoming of theirs, and change it into something grand, then life would be better, easier, to live!’ Why do we not say instead ‘If I would but take time to change myself, then would life be more beautiful, for me and those around me. It might even make it easier for them to then transform their own faults into things of beauty and help to those around them!’ Christ has told us not to dwell on the faults and shortcomings of others, but on our own; then, through Him, to change them.

“Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to our brother, ‘Brother, let me take out the speck that is in your eye,’ when you yourself do not see the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take out the speck that is in your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:41,42

I feel so totally unqualified to be posting anything here at the moment-I am painfully aware of my own imperfections; after just such an incident as stated above. The root of most of my shortcomings, I fear, is pride.

Here’s an excerpt from a friends’ blog:

Okay. I have just been thinking about all the pain I’ve seen around me. I don’t want to get sentimental or anything, but I hurt so bad when I look at how others are hurting and I can see its because of a third party’s actions. I am constantly becoming more aware of what a role Pride plays in our world. Pride is the root, and one of the most ugly weeds that springs up is Selfishness.
I think the best thing we as Christians can do to guard our hearts against that is to be grounded in the Word. Because when we truly know God, we know that He doesn’t change and that what He says is true, not what others say. We must rely on Him, and we can’t look at anybody else because we are sinful. We can’t provide a perfect role model. Jesus can.

butterfly1028

I think that butterfly has hit the nail on the head; Pride is an ugly root, and Selfishness inevitably springs up from it. I am both a very prideful and selfish person. It’s an ongoing battle; I must crucify my flesh each and every day to be free from the bitter root. Thing is, we get weary of crucifying ourselves, having gradually left the sanctuary of God’s love, to stand upon that hill alone; often too ashamed for even our Father to walk the path there with us. By ourselves, standing there at the cross, we suddenly feel too weak to do what we know must be done.

And so, we walk away from that cross, that hill; but not down the path upon which we trod up, but upon a much wider path leading down and away from our Savior; one that is not quite as steep. We think, ’surely this path will take me back; or else I will strike away from it to find Him again’, but we don’t. Not often. We continue on the ‘easy’ road; not the highway that leads to salvation, but the road that leads to destruction. To despair; and death.

And having walked so far with our pride and selfishness, we have grown so accustomed to them, that we let them whisper great lies to us-’There is nothing wrong with you; you’re perfect! It’s the others who have problems; they do it to ruin your life if they can. But you’re better than that!’ And so, we strike further and further away from those who love and care for us, in an attempt to rid ourselves of sin, little knowing that it is within ourselves that the fault lies, and that we can do nothing without Christ and the Cross. I said ‘little knowing’, but I believe that each of us do, inside, know that true happiness lies within our grasp if we would but reach for it; that our hearts are ‘deceitful above all things and dreadfully wicked’ (Jeremiah 17:9); that it is within ourselves that the fault lies. But we chose to ignore it, pushing that knowledge, that still, sane voice, down into ourselves; preferring the lies that our pride tells us to the truth.

We must turn to Christ; fully ‘rely on Him‘, and not ourselves. As butterfly said, as humans, we are sinful and ‘can’t provide a perfect role model’; though our pride may tell us we can. We must look to the only perfect one-Christ Jesus, our Savior.