Archive for the ‘Humility’ Category

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Pride and Humility

January 23, 2026

Like I’ve said before, James does not soft-pedal his message.

You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us? But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

John Climacus, one of the more influential Desert Fathers, also spoke boldly.

Pride is the denial of God, an invention of the devil, contempt for men. It is the mother of condemnation, the offspring of praise, a sign of barrenness. It is a flight from God’s help, the harbinger of madness, the author of downfall. It is the cause of diabolical possession, the source of anger, the gateway of hypocrisy. It is the fortress of demons, the custodian of sins, the source of hardheartedness. It is the denial of compassion, a bitter pharisee, a cruel judge. It is the foe of God. It is the root of blasphemy.

Whew!

Stories in our news feeds would shrivel like a dried worm on the street on a sunny day following a rainstorm without prideful people to describe.

More important than observing others, let us turn the microscope on ourselves. Where does pride sneak past our defenses showing up in most unfortunate ways? Avoiding pride requires ever present vigilance. We let our guard down for even a moment, and pride can slither into our being.

Where should we focus to avoid the power of pride? James says:

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

I hope he doesn’t mean to constantly walk around in gloom. But when we recognize pride growing in ourselves, time for optimism and laughter is over. In its place enters a dose of humility and turning to God’s grace to restore our souls.

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Posted in Attitude, Awareness, Humility, pride, Wisdom | 3 Comments »

Two Kinds of Wisdom

January 21, 2026

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

It’s like that song I quoted a few days ago, Love is something you do when Jesus Christ is living in you.

People, including people known as theologians, try to make the simple complicated. I love how James boils things down to the essentials. We don’t need checklists, scorecards, complex psychological formulae. We know who is wise among us. We see it. We sense it. And I love how he adds the ingredient humility into the recipe. Even though that pokes at me.

But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

Incessant media coverage infuses our consciousness with stories of Silicon Valley billionaires and miscellaneous politicians whose public persona can best be described with James’s observation about the other kind of wisdom. We may not be as direct as James, but we see that, too. Envy, selfish, ambition. Perhaps these have seduced most of us—large scale or local. It’s so easy to get sucked into the vacuum. It’s worth the pause to reflect on when we may have been so seduced and what we’ve done to push it away.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

These sound much like the fruit of the spirit of which Paul writes elsewhere. Think about the kind of life we would have living like that. Think of the people you meet—wouldn’t you love for them all to exhibit those characteristics?

It’s long after New Year’s Resolution time. But better than resolutions is to picture oneself living that kind of life. Who are you? I’m the sort of person who is peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

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Preparing for Christmas—They Got It Wrong

December 25, 2025

I read Mary’s song of blessing again. My takeaway for us, especially if we are gathering with family—beware pride, practice humility. 

Everyone got Jesus’s birth wrong.

Mary was shocked. And then really pregnant. And escaped the rumor mongers of her hometown.

Joseph was even more shocked. He is almost never discussed again. The mystery man. He just reveals to us what a real man, a spiritual man, would do.

The magi (“wise men”) prepared for a journey, went in a general direction, but still didn’t really know where, and all the imports of the special revelation.

King Herod only thought in terms of the succession to his throne. That sort of reminds us of King Saul trying to protect the succession of his throne from David.

The Gospels record three people contemporary with the event who all saw part of the event but failed to see the full import.

Jewish people during Jesus’s ministry failed to understand the full import of the event and his ministry—until after the resurrection.

His closest friends and followers got it wrong—until they got it right.

I bet that many (most?) people today, even those who claim to follow him, don’t really digest the full importance of the event.

Even so, 2,000 years after the fact, we still have a feast day to remember his birth.

I wish you all a merry Christmas. Put aside pride and differences in order to celebrate with others.

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Humility

December 1, 2025

Let us consider humility. Not a word we can associate with today, living as we do influenced by Silicon Valley’s macho culture. A culture that affects women along with men along with adolescents.

When was the last time you (or I) admitted that you (or I) were wrong about something?

If it’s been longer than 30 days back, perhaps you (and I) have a problem.

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Posted in Disciplines, Humility | Leave a Comment »

Logical Inconsistencies

September 10, 2025

I guess I enjoy poking at logical inconsistencies of people. Or times when people do a series of things putting themselves in difficult situations and are surprised. I know I’m not immune myself. I just appreciate the humanness of such things.

Like the politician I recently read about who used a logic for a new edict that directly opposes the logic that the politician uses for another position. I can leave it vague. Think of your favorite politician—or your favorite political punching bag.

I like to look to Jesus for guidance. I found upon reflection that he also enjoyed poking at people—especially self-important people. Think of all his comments to the Pharisees and Temple big wigs while he was in a crowd of ordinary people. “You clean the cup on the outside, but inside it is filthy.” “You declare your wealth dedicated to God, so that you don’t have to take care of your aged parents.” 

Reflecting on Jesus’ guidance, I think that I had better become aware of my own inconsistencies cleaning them up.

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It’s Not All About Me

August 25, 2025

We are attending an small event to honor or remember someone. We begin to overthink details—what clothes should we wear, how the hair looks, jewelry (for those who indulge), and the like.

This could be what is called using university terms majoring in the minor.

We remember—it’s not all about me.

Just don’t wear or do something to detract from the event and the other.

The major is—it’s all about them. It’s not all about us.

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Pope Francis

April 22, 2025

Preparing to write this morning, the news centered on the passing of Pope Francis.

I am not Catholic, but I taught 7th grade at a Catholic school long ago learning a lot about the faith and the organization. I also read many Catholic theologians in my day. My favorite is Pierre Teilhard.

I respected Francis from the first I heard about him in his days in Latin America. As Pope, he represented being a Jesus follower well. He did his best to move a huge, bureaucratic organization into modern times.

His predecessor, Benedict, had a marvelous theological mind. He was, however, the ultimate organization man protecting the organization as best he could.

Francis, rather, tried to deal with past indiscretions, treating people with humility and respect.

The best lesson we can learn from him is just that—living in humility and respect for others.

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If Only

March 3, 2025

If only everyone agreed with me, the world would be a happier place.

If only the world conformed to the picture I have, it would be perfect.

I think of the many people I know and about whom I read who have a picture of how the world should work in their minds. They persist in trying to make the world conform to their picture. They are perennially frustrated when things don’t work out that way.

Then there was Jesus.

He actually knew what the world should be. He called it the Kingdom of Heaven. He taught people about it. About how to live in it. He actually lived in it.

Yet, when he met people who did not exhibit much of that Kingdom, or had their own (wrong) view of what the Kingdom was, he understood.

Most of the time his confrontations with these people was gentle—his followers, the rich young man, the 10 lepers who were cleaned when only one returned to thank him. 

Sometimes his words were gentle, yet pointed. No compromise. Like when he was invited to dinner with an important Pharisee. These dinners were like a mini theatrical production. It was meant for show for the “common” people who would walk by to see who the honored guests were. And the woman invaded the dinner washing his feet with her tears and anointing him with perfume. His words to the host were a firm rebuke. But evidently not spoken harshly.

Jesus could react with anger. He had a picture of the proper respect for the Temple. When he encountered merchants ripping off pilgrims coming from afar to offer sacrifice, he acted with emotion turning over tables and scattering merchandise.

When people are exploiting other people, Jesus’s example shows us anger is justified. Otherwise, replying with gentleness makes a better point.

Especially since you and I are not Jesus. We might be wrong.

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Taking Myself Too Seriously

November 13, 2024

Everything depends upon me.

I must bring healing to that grieving family.

If I don’t show up to lead, the work will never be done.

Maybe…

The work to be done is important. We should be serious about it.

Perhaps not so serious about ourselves. Such focus leads to pride. Which leads to a fall.

Relax. Let the spirit flow through you to do the work. Chuckle at your shortcomings. Try easy.

Posted in Humility, pride, Work | 1 Comment »

Pointing

October 2, 2024

There was an old kid’s saying that when you point your finger at someone there are three pointing back at you.

Truth lies behind that saying. What you do speaks louder that what you say. And it all reflects back on others’ perception of your character.

Who likes the self-righteous person always ready to point to other’s faults and “wrong” theologies?

No one. Most likely not even the person doing the pointing.

If you find yourself in this loop, pause and try kindness. 

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