Thursday, June 11, 2009

Living under Duress - the sin of being proud












Life is challenging. No news flash there. How we deal with the challenges are often what do produce the news flashes. (Man kills self and family over debt. Baby found in suitcase. etc., etc.)

Do we have a humble heart, or a prideful heart is the question I find myself asking. Pride is the main "problem" element of how people respond to whatever challenges and/or situations arise in life. Pride is a sin. That is what Satan had before God; yet, how many times do you catch yourself saying how proud you are of yourself, your family, your job, your ___________ (fill in the blank). Where do you think that leaves your gentleness of spirit or your character?

People look at their own situations and forget the power of meekness and humilty that will help them respond to situations in power. Meekness is having the strength to handle a situation without responding out of pride ... strength under control, not responding to our training. Living under duress provides a lot of opportunities to demonstrate how we have been wronged and how we are injured ... our responses come out of our duty or out of our "stations" in life.

A gentle spirit is not a weak spirit, but one of strength. Our desire to be strong to others provide our own stumbling blocks, usually resulting from being proud. It has often been said one's biggest strength is also their biggest weakness. Duress will bring out the best and worse of our strengths. How we respond is based on cultural bias, social bias, economic bias ... rarely out of faith-based strength and knowledge.

People are killing themselves over money, over a lack of stability ... duress provides us with the opportunity to demonstrate what we truly believe in. It demonstrates what we believe ... no matter what we say. Actions speak louder than words.

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