Evaluate from faith not pride.
The news is filled with stories of “narcissists,” self-centered folks, prideful people. The commonality is that they evaluate what happens based on how it affects them, how it makes them feel.
Of course, everyone, including you and me, is prideful. For Christians, though, we work to stomp it out. (See The Stench of Pride.)
When we evaluate from our faith in Almighty God, the meaning of any, every, circumstance is based on Him, His purposes, His holiness, His hatred of sin, His love for believers.
Everything looks different. Everybody looks different.
Two examples:
Something good happens to someone else. We are told to consider others more important than ourselves. If we act from belief in, and obedience to, God, we rejoice with them. If we come from pride, we are upset that that good thing happened to them rather than to us.
Something happens to us that we don’t like. If we believe God’s word, we consider it all joy, because we know God brings good out if it for us. If we operate from pride, we’re upset, angry, perhaps mad at God, definitely not joyful.
Watch!
As we read the Bible, watch for the many commands that require us to act in faith and not pride. Lots of prayer needed here!
