Take heed...

Some people are so arrogant. No matter what the subject matter what it is, they think they know everything there is about it.

They’ve been times when I felt like that, I must admit, mostly when I was younger. Now that I have some years on me, I realize how much I have yet to learn. I listen to young people speak about different subjects and they are quite full of themselves. However they do have some very interesting ideas. The thing is humility is something I believe we grow into. Experience is a great teacher. The most well rounded people are the result of both good and bad experiences in their lives.

Paul began as a persecutor of Christians and it wasn’t until he experienced the presence of our Lord that he saw the error of his ways and became one of the greatest disciples ever. Peter is one of my favorites, perhaps because I am most like him. He was overzealous for the Lord and had to be humbled by his own denial of Christ at the cross. He too went on to be a mighty warrior for the Gospel.

There are many others in the Bible who experienced great falls that humbled them in order to be used. Many public figures have also been brought low but were still used to teach us great lessons. George Washington and Benjamin Franklin were both known to have enormous egos. They had to expend tremendous effort to tamp them down so that their leadership qualities could be appreciated and people would want to follow them.

I think of Muhammad Ali, known worldwide for his braggadocio about his looks and talents. He wasn’t wrong but it’s considered arrogant to talk so highly about oneself. In his later years, a battle with Parkinson’s disease slowed him down. He became more of an activist and philanthropist and was well loved and respected for his work. He died as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

We must work hard to master our pride before it masters us. The Bible warns us not to think more highly of ourselves than necessary but to esteem others higher, and to be careful not to get so high and mighty that we set ourselves up for a fall. Great advice for each one of us.