Pride and Humility

Pride is concerned with who is right.

Humility is concerned with what is right.

         - Ezra Taft Benson -

How many among us do have the courage to take out his pride? Not to consider and whatever reasons you may have, did you ever arrive into decisions which could lead into swallowing your pride? Or did you oftentimes heard sermons and lectures regarding pride and humility? Probably, there are few among us. Notwithstanding that the topic itself is quite annoying to people, it's been walking throughout the history and recognized both as the deadliest vices and the greatest virtue at the same time. 

Pride apparently is evident among successful people, the powerful, celebrities and not to forget those rich and famous. However, the same lives and blooms in the heart of ordinary people, too, including each one of us. But still, there are few who realize how dangerous and threatening it is, both into our souls and to our decreasing intimacy and relationship with the Almighty Creator. Nonetheless, our whole individuality and personality is deeply affected.

Humility, on the other hand, had been seen as our weakness or shortcomings that only few are much aware of it and pursue it. It is also of great importance that to establish a good relationship with our fellowmen, then we need to have a better understanding of pride and humility; that we should be careful in considering when to forsake one or embrace one another.

It is quite the truth to think that most of us do not see pride in our lives. And while it is easy to see pride in others, it is absolutely hard for us to see it in ourselves. Honestly, humility is currently not the trend in our modern society and seems to be unappealing to most of us. Such belief may give us some consequences. Being humble might be quite hard for us:  in the family, in the workplace, even in the community and everywhere around us. In any other ways, that is apparently an imprudent, earthly point of view. For just, "as pride is the root of all sin, and so humility is the mother and bond of all virtue."

Evolving into one kind of individuality does not happen over a night. I just cannot forget this one thing that my colleague has told me. It was rather like to tearing off one simple cabbage:  you tear off one layer only to find another beneath it. But the same is not unusual and does actually happen. As we renounce pride and seek to humble ourselves by choice and deliverance, humility grows within ourselves and deep within our hearts. It is indeed a grace, such agility and beauty cherished by and in the Eyes of the Almighty Creator.


Photo credit:  baneofyourresistance.com

Between Pride And Friendship

"Birds of the same feather flock together." 

"Tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are!" 

Friendship, for sure has a great impact in our lives. Human behavior, our demeanor or mental state and outlooks are like viruses that contaminate in a sense. We are somewhat the same or more likely analogous to our friends, peers or group. We adapt certain attitudes common to them like we became fashion conscious if they are, smoke and drink liquor if they do. But I would rather not tell that you will become the same or like them as against your will. The choice is all yours!

  

It's all animosity at the moment to be asking whether your friends deserve enough to be called good friends and be with you. Time after time there seems to be a good spirit nagging unto you to be resilient in choosing among your peers. There were also times when we tried to cover up headlines and issues that gave us reasons to dump a friend. And between those moments, that crucial choice between pride and friendship wherein the reputation is at stake, I keep asking myself on whether I could still make this relationship work out and at the same time be less annoying and stressful.

It is quite self-fulfilling gaining friends who help you assume great vision, expose you to a better environment, and who can understand the situation and everything in your existence. But to seek more friends to inspire one part of your life is a much different story than to eliminate or getting rid of somebody you've loved simply because they are not exactly what you want them to be. This isn't about ending or the finale of a drastic relationship or searching out for guidelines in our lives that we may deem called and pay attention to. I think it should be both. I would rather not suggest, that to end a relationship with people you love because they are not perfect or just because they might be your failure if they remain as part of your group.

Well, nobody's perfect! Who among us doesn't have any defects at all? Tell me if there's anyone you knew who has all-fascinating attitudes without any undesirable traits? Are we going to kick them out of our lives just because we believe they will pull us down? Did we ever think about or have we ever thought it once that instead of junking them out, we make an effort to lift them up? And instead of concentrating seriously on whether our much controversial group of peers is good or lives fair enough for us, let us first make ourselves or make sure we are good enough for them! Let us all embrace each other with all the existing contradictions found within all of us. Let us allow ourselves embark trust upon everybody that we may become desirable, beneficial and more loving. Let us make the dumb be the smart... and the devil be an angel!

Photo credit:  rishikajain.com