Selfishness & Pride
I remember when I was in high school, one of our favorite cheers during sporting events was about having "pride inside." And yet the Bible talks about the sin of pride and selfishness. Is it okay to feel proud of yourself for a job well done? Is it selfish to consider your needs over another's on a daily basis? Where is the line drawn between having a healthy self-worth and full-on self-absorption?
If you are looking for me to give you an answer, I'm sorry to say I don't have one. As believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is the one to let us know with nudges, rapid heart beats and still small inner voices where the line is for us in our own lives. As we spend time in the Scriptures things always become more clear. That's where we can fall into trouble, if we spend more time in the world then in the Word; our sense of clarity between good and bad, need and want, contentment and greed, love and lust as well as right and wrong become blurred and fuzzy.
I heard a story that I'm not sure whether it was fact or fiction, but the visual was helpful to me. The idea was that when banktellers are trained on how to recognize fake paper money, they only allow them to handle, touch and feel real money. Then when a fake comes through as soon as they touch it they know it is a counterfeit bill. The pastor that told the story made the conclusion that if we were deep into the Holy Bible knowing it well and growing in our relationship with God, when something fake, imitation, unholy, ungodly or sinful came into our presence, we would be able to recognize it as not pleasing to God and not good for us. KT
If you are looking for me to give you an answer, I'm sorry to say I don't have one. As believers in Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is the one to let us know with nudges, rapid heart beats and still small inner voices where the line is for us in our own lives. As we spend time in the Scriptures things always become more clear. That's where we can fall into trouble, if we spend more time in the world then in the Word; our sense of clarity between good and bad, need and want, contentment and greed, love and lust as well as right and wrong become blurred and fuzzy.
I heard a story that I'm not sure whether it was fact or fiction, but the visual was helpful to me. The idea was that when banktellers are trained on how to recognize fake paper money, they only allow them to handle, touch and feel real money. Then when a fake comes through as soon as they touch it they know it is a counterfeit bill. The pastor that told the story made the conclusion that if we were deep into the Holy Bible knowing it well and growing in our relationship with God, when something fake, imitation, unholy, ungodly or sinful came into our presence, we would be able to recognize it as not pleasing to God and not good for us. KT
Coin bracelet, I don't know if they are fake or not as I don't have any training in identifying coins.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
Romans 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
Well said.
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