This week in Pursuing Love we are looking at bragging and arrogance, two more things love is NOT.
Marsha shared this: Last week we looked at jealousy and wanting what someone else has. This week we’re looking at the unloving twins – bragging (boasting) and arrogance, or trying to make others jealous of what we have. While jealousy puts people down, bragging and arrogance puts ourselves up much higher than we desire.
Personally I do not like being around people that are constantly bragging or arrogant. It seems there is at least one in every bunch, as they say. Online there have been people that seem to have to constantly "one up" anything you say about your life, kids, or family. I remember certain people through school who had a certain arrogance about them and seem to continue to portray this attitude to others. These type of people are so full of themselves and their accomplishments that they make you seem insignificant. No one wants to feel like a nobody!
Thinking about myself, I don't like to tell people what I've done. There are certain accomplishments that I haven't told people in my life because I don't want it to seem I'm bragging about them. (Even typing that sentence makes me feel like I should delete it because I don't want to be boasting in myself!) But even though I don't like to say it, I do admit that sometimes I think to myself an "I'm better at...." attitude. God wants me not to be judgemental though but instead to see everyone through His eyes.
Thinking about this I think it's important to point out that God does want us to be proud of who we are in Him, but we don't need to be haughty in our pride. Maybe confident is a better word for that.
Have a day of blessings!
3 comments:
I love your honesty.
My devotion was on this same subject this morning. John the Baptist was content "to be only a voice if it caused people to think about Christ." John 10:41 says that he never performed a miraculous sign but all that he said about Jesus was true.
He could have been arrogant or said look at me and the job I was born to do but he didn't and he was humble. I like that.
Thanks for sharing your heart with us today. Many blessings to you.
It's such a hard thing sometimes to decide what is bragging and what is not.
For instance, an author promotes his/her books so others will read. They write because God has called them to write. But how will people hear until they are told about the book.
I've been struggling with telling people I'm speaking at the next AWI conference because I don't want to appear like I'm bragging.
I think it comes down to the heart attitude. If we are truly "promoting" something we're doing in a spirit of humility for the purpose of edifying and encouraging the body of Christ, then it's okay to do so.
The heart is desperately wicked. It's something I need to keep in check continually.
Thanks for participating. Great discussion.
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