September 15, 1999 I drove to work confident that I was
about to receive the coveted promotion I had interviewed for the previous
day.
Myself and two other candidates
were in the running for a supervisory position at the kid’s facility I had
worked at the past year or so and there was no question in my mind that I was
about to attain the leadership position I so strongly believed I deserved.
After all, I was intelligent, I had earned
the respect of many of my co-workers, I had done everything I’d been asked to
do in an effort to be groomed for this position and, on top of that, the two
other candidates didn’t hold a candle to my knowledge of the business nor my
experience or cross-training of staff roles.
It was in the bag.
That night, I showed up at a family friend’s house for my 18th
birthday party.
All of my friends were
there, a family friend who happened to be a caterer had made a spectacular
cake, my parents were doing everything in their power to make this event special
and there I was, devastated.
It is one thing to experience disappointment, but to be
called arrogant and prideful was a slap in the face…and it hurt.
In my healing from that event, I challenged God and
questioned why He would put me through such a humiliating experience as
that.
I wrestled with this decision and
hated the fact that it was outside my control.
I eventually turned to the truth of Philippians 2 which
describes how Christ, in all His majesty and glory, took on the nature of a
servant and humbled Himself.
The conflict
I have with pride is that fact God has blessed me with the ability to do some
things really well!
In fact, my flesh
reminds me of this often and questions why others do not see it as I do!
If I am so good, why “burden” God with the
need to do it Himself?
Pride is an evil, ugly tormentor that convinces us that we
are independent, self-sufficient, competent and superior.
Pride is not a sinful action, pride is a
sinful mindset.
Christ’s mindset was
that of a servant.
Though He had
everything to offer, the power to accomplish anything He wanted and the
acknowledgement and praise of many around Him, he reveled in nothing.
He admitted that the Father’s glory was
preeminent and infinitely superior to his own.
This is the mindset I covet.
This
is my battle.
This is my belief.
