emergingfree

Christian and Socially-Conscious…One Woman's Expression

Archive for the tag “pride”

18 Jun 2015
2 Comments

One Step, Two Steps Forward and Back

Shootings……in churches………

One step forward?  Two steps back.

Hatred……of what?????

…..a difference in skin color……..a variation in culture…….a deviation in faith…..WHAT is it that has morphed the innocence of a baby’s soul into the walking dead?

Is it fear of a loss of a perceived privilege?  Can you not look at a stranger and see commonality?  Or maybe you can, but pride stops you from admitting to yourself your hatred of yourself.

Granted, love seems to escape many.

SLOW DOWN.

Why does LOVE escape you?  Do you not trust it?  Have you not felt it?  Can you not conceptualize it?

Faith.  God.  Fellowship.

What do you serve? 

Self.  Money.  Prestige.

SLOW DOWN.

One step forward.

Two steps back?

Breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Pray.

Woman Praying

Posted in Commentary, Spiritually Speaking and tagged , , , , ,
21 Dec 2014
2 Comments

Mirror, Mirror

Arrogance versus Confidence. A fine line? Really?

Face

For almost a month I have been carrying around a quote which says, “It takes an enormous amount of strength, security and confidence to be humble”. It reminds me of how loud arrogance sounds. Have you ever met someone who wants you to know that they know so-and-so, that they have done such-and-such, that they have acquired this-and-that and the whole time you are thinking, “So (how does this relate to what we are talking about)?” Their true focus is obvious. You might as well be a mirror on the wall asking, “Who is the fairest of them all?”

But I will leave within you
the meek and humble,
who trust in the name of the Lord. —Zephaniah 3:12

The value of pride diminishes when there is no audience. Guess what? There is no audience for it amongst God’s people or in His kingdom. We avoid the traps of vain mirror reflections by maintaining our focus on the Lord. Through Him, we are strong and secure. By trusting Him, we can endure injury without burdening our spirit with the weight of resentment. We know that our Protector protects us no matter how it may feel or look. Our association is noticeable even when our resumes are not and we are confidently present. Either we believe this or we do not. I believe. Do you?

Posted in Spiritually Speaking and tagged , , , , , , , ,
16 Nov 2014

So, You’re Ballin’ Huh?

It is easy to get caught up, to fall into the trap of pride when our bills are paid and when we have financial surplus. Oh, how the temptations seem to surround us like vultures circle (dead) prey when people place us in positions where others “look up” to us and we buy into the idea that we are superior. When we are not struggling—not in need, not in want—, it is easy to fall into a worldly-defined ballin’ mentality.

The pride of your heart has deceived you,
you who live in the clefts of the rocks
and make your home on the heights,
you who say to yourself,
‘Who can bring me down to the ground?‘ —Obadiah verse 3

Life takes us up and down. In a moment’s notice, something can happen which can plant us on our knees in tears….or on our behinds. In another moment, we can receive news that will have us ecstatically jumping for joy.

As I continue to grow in Christ, I try to maintain a humbled core. Am I always successful? No, but I am much more likely these days to recognize when I am not and repent. Truth is, I want to receive God’s blessings—all of them—much more than I want to live with a pride-filled heart. As a matter of fact, I expect to be abundantly blessed. The removal of pride allows me to understand that there are responsibilities and a mindset that should accompany such living. After all, to whom much is given, much is expected.

Woman Reading Bible

In your seasons of being blessed according to the world’s standard, don’t forget from where your blessings really come and that you are a representative of Him. If you are going to be ballin’, ball for Christ.

Posted in Spiritually Speaking and tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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