Pride. Because, we are smarter, faster, leaner, more beautiful, more competent, with polite children, with five star hotels, and program after program to boast about.

Did you know that I have struggled with boasting my entire life? One of my elementary school teachers actually informed my parents at a conference that I was boastful beyond reproach. I admit it fully now, here to you, as if you hadn't already gathered that this could be an area of weakness in my life. I aim to be transparent which could also be preceived as gloating about what I, by God's grace, have and do not have. Pride disgusts me, and yet I am the chief sinner of this terrible attribute. The fact that it's hailed with such immense respect to be political, go green, love "our Mother Earth", eat organic, be atheletic, have successful children, be educated, look attractive, have a good job, enjoy a specific lifestyle, can all one way or another be traced back to pride. Think about it, the person who is the first person to graduate from college in their family, should get to brag freely about the obstacle that they have both overcome and redeemed for their moniker. Right? They worked hard and plowed through the throws of daunting classes and Starbucks runs to earn that degree.

And yet, King Solomon says that it's all meaningless under the sun.
Or maybe the Beatles ripped off Solomon's Old Testament concepts one better with their recoginizable lyrics: "There's nothing you can do that can't be done"
Is it all meaningless?If it is, then where does pride fit into the equation?

Boasting, bragging, gloating, noting; as I like to say when I'm trying to be sneaky with my tongue to Caleb, where do these actions lead us, but further into ourselves?
Now, those who follow Biblical principals would aspire to wanting to be more like Christ and less like ourselves. Therefore, there is no room for pride which gives birth to much selfishness-some of which we can justify practically, but it is what it is. It is what it is.
No one likes a know-it-all. Knowing it all comes from pride. Humility is attractive, however it is not championed by many because it is not popular. It doesn't win votes, or favor, not like "confidence."

My goal is not to offend my peers, but to share what has been stirred in my heart. I constantly reevaluate this very topic. My husband frequently rolls his eyes in contempt for my obvious concern of what others may think of us, me, Noah, Nicholas.
It's all meaningless.

If you're an atheist- then you can agree, it's all meaningless in the long haul since there is nothing for us after death.
If you're a Christian- then you know that we are to bring glory to God and not ourselves. Bringing glory to His name is the only thing that is not meaningless.

Cynical? Sure. I find great peace in knowing that all toil on earth is just that. We all grow up and get jobs...some people have great jobs that produce a desirable way of living, some people deal with life with money and devotion to hobbies, and some people are broke as a joke with no hope. It's all toil. Toil with some nice dinners and vacations forced in.

Jesus, I pray that Caleb and I can think little of ourselves in light of who you are. Guide us in raise children who ultimately know, fear and seek you. Holy Spirit, enable us to freely sacrifice our time, talent and treasure as it is not ours but yours to give. Humble and teach us according to truths of the Bible. Help us to accept and impart grace daily.
*KBA*