Pride and Prejudice

It is good to take pride in some things. Having pride and being proud are two different things. I have both. One is ok, and one is not. Let's look at the one that is ok....I take pride in my children and grandson. You all know I am so proud of TJ and LOVE being a Grandma. I have a magnet to prove it...it came in my Mother's Day card from TJ. Another area I take pride in, is my home. At least certain aspects of it. You KNOW how I feel about my sink!I also take pride in the fact that I use cleaning products that are environmentally friendly (most of the time).I need to take more pride in the laundry...not my favorite household task, but the feeling you get when it is done, is worth all the effort. Still no clotheslines....but I make do. Yesterday, I took pride in my floors. All the carpets were vacuumed and the floors mopped. I LOVE clean floors, just as much as a clean sink!ALL the rugs got washed.That rinse water is nice and clear. The wash water was almost black...I was not amused! One of the rugs fell apart in the washer...what a mess!! I do not like to put my rugs in the dryer and with no clotheslines I use the rail of the deck to dry my rugs. Yesterday every inch of deck rail was covered in clean rugs, while the stool cushions air dried on the table.Gosh, I appear to be partial to blue and green....hmmmmm.

Rachel made a clothes rack for TJ's comforter by using the deck chairs. She came by yesterday to use the washer and dryer...her dryer is not heating up properly.Who needs clotheslines???

So, pride can be a good thing, if in the process you do not become proud. I heard a little boy of 7 say of his ability to play extraordinary piano, "We still need to stay humble." Wise parents he has!! You can have pride and still stay humble. What happens when you become proud??? You begin to judge others who do not meet with your same criteria. You become prejudice. Do you have any prejudice? I think if you look deep you will find some. I did. I do not see color, race, economic status, or religion. I find myself to be pretty tolerant of others. I have deep convictions about some lifestyles, but do not concentrate on the judgement of the actual individuals who live those lifestyles. I DO however have a prejudice. I am judgemental of dirty people. People who do not bathe, keep a filthy house, have dirty children with greasy hair and dirty clothes. The ones who suck from the agencies to get whatever hand out they can and refuse to work. I am not talking about working poor. I am not talking about the single mother who struggles to keep her head above water or those with disabilities which prevent them from working. I am talking about people with absolutely NO pride whatsoever! Anyone can afford soap. Whew! Why did I just confess that??? Because I am wrong! I am admitting I am wrong. It is not my place to judge them. It is not my place to determine what level of clean is ok. It is not my place to pick at the speck in their eye when I can not see through the plank in my own. "Pride" can become "Proud" very easily if we are not careful. This can become a ROCK in your life. Here is an excerpt of a devotion I read Wednesday night. It spoke loud and clear to me of just what happens when we judge others, for ANY reason.

"Your eyes shall not look upon My face while they are still engaged in viewing the faults and imperfections in your neighbor (any human being); and when you look to Me in truth and repentance and sincerity, you shall indeed see Me, and having seen Me, you will look upon your neighbor with love and understanding and patience, knowing full well the needs in your own heart and life." (from "Come Away My Beloved")

Ouch! I heard that for myself! So how can you tell the difference between "taking pride" and "being proud"?

Does it involve your attitudes toward others? If it does not, then you are safely "taking pride". If it does create a judgement on another life, it is "being proud", and is dangerous to your spirit and you MUST step back and reevaluate.

What are your thoughts?? Be careful.
"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up." James 4:10