- Drinking and Driving - what a DUMB decision to make. You threaten your own life and the lives of many others. This is scary...
- Gas and Fire - when these two things come in contact with each other, things tend to get a little heated... I would not suggest playing around with these two things. Pretty scary...
- Tom Brady and Randy Moss - One of the best quarterbacks of all-time and one of the most athletic receivers to every play the game of football. If you are on the opposing team, these two guys are a scary combination for sure!
But as the Lord is showing me more about myself and others, I have come across and even more scary combination. This is a combination that can damage relationships, create deep wounds and keep someone from getting on the right path... this combination is often the reason for unfavorable circumstances in life that ARE avoidable... this scary combination is a person who is both IMMATUREand PRIDEFUL...
No one is born mature. We all have to learn and grow and most of the time we will grow through experiences. We will have a success or a failure and we will evaluate why we got the result that we got. We should do our best to repeat the behavior if it was beneficial and we should look to change a destructive behavior.
If someone is immature, it is just an opportunity to learn, grow and become more mature... unless the person is PRIDEFUL.
Pride is the sin that got Satan kicked out of heaven. Pride says things like, "I don't need YOU to tell ME what to do! I have it all together!" And, "Don't tell me that I am wrong... I am NEVER wrong!" And, "I am not the problem, YOU are!"
Nobody likes to hear that they are wrong. Why? Because it takes a shot at their pride. When someone is told that they are wrong, they usually react out of anger or guilt. They get mad or get quiet. Neither one of these things is helpful.
Because of these unhealthy reactions we have stopped telling people that they are wrong because we are so afraid of hurting people's feelings. Feelings should NOT drive the decisions that we make. If we would speak the truth in love and for the right reasons, all parties will benefit... unless pride comes into the picture.
As followers of Christ, we need to leave our pride at the foot of the cross. We need to be open to hearing someone else's point of view (even when we don't want to). If we were less prideful and more humble, God would honor us. If we were better listeners we might receive instruction that would benefit us. If we sought to be great learners and not "know-it-all's" we would end up in situations that are far more favorable.
Next time you are given advice or corrected, choose to listen. Make every effort to be humble and receive instruction. It is the WISE thing to do.
Proverbs 15:31 - He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise.
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