Volume XXIII, Number 12 (Issue 1121) | March 24, 2025
Things that Come in Threes – Part II
How often have you crossed paths with someone who acted as if (believed?) they were God’s gift to a given group if not the gravitational center of the universe? In that moment were you tempted to slap them? I need not tell you to corral that impulse. After all, rare is the individual who has not been guilty of similar behavior and thinking a time or two. Our personal insecurities and occasional slide into the imposter syndrome zone notwithstanding, we all can fall victim to personal pride. Pride, however, is not inherently bad. It can be a good thing when it pushes us to give our best. It is when pride gets the best of us – causing us to believe we are infallible or the end-all, be-all where the problems begin.
Understand that under stress you and I can quickly, instinctively become inwardly focused whereas when things are going smoothly, it does not require a great sacrifice to focus on others and their needs. But being concerned about oneself when things take a bad turn is different from feeling we are the source of others’ salvation. Pride of that sort is problematic for several reasons.
For starters, when we are excessively pride-filled, we stop listening to the opinions of others. After all, when we know better than they do and have a monopoly on the answers, why should we waste time and energy listening to them? Next, since we do have all the answers, if we do pause to share our wisdom it is to correct their erroneous thinking. In simple terms, we reach the point where our views are fact and all views to the contrary are wrong (the Binary Bias at its worst). A lack of humility also wants others to acknowledge our greatness. That is, we want to be honored. We expect to be consulted. We expect to be included. We expect to be accepted. What we do not want or expect is to be unnoticed, lonely, hurt, criticized, passed over, or rejected.
Unfortunately, early forms of personal success – including career success -can feed our ego in ways that make it hard to be truly humble. In such instances, it may take a bite or two or three of humble pie to get our heads on right. At least, that is what it took for me to learn humility. So, now I devote at least three minutes every day studying the Litany of Humility to remind myself I do not have a fraction of the answers, let alone the wisdom others bring to the table. In the process I am also reminded I need to “shut up, listen up, open up, and lighten up; and that the Lord has more to show and tell me than I have to show and tell God.”
Thus, the next time you are tempted to think the world revolves around you, think again.
Soli Deo Gloria
“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.” 1 Peter 3:8
J. Keith Hughey
Mobile: (210)260-0955
E-mail: keith@jkeithhughey.com
Website: www.jkeithhughey.com
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