I've been watching an online conversation lately among Friends, about whether or not it is okay to have pride--in who we are, in our accomplishments, in how we raise our families.
It's taken me a while to understand why the direction of the conversation troubled me:
When pride interferes with our direct connection to the Living Presence, or when pride in our sense of self becomes the Center from where we draw inspiration, then I fear that we have lost our grounding in the One.
That said, there is a quiet pride that lends itself to being low, and then there is another sort of pride that lends itself to being high, to pushing God out of our lives because we mistakenly take up the belief that there is no more room.
The line between the two is a razor's edge.
Thankfully, we cannot be so prideful that the Light will not eventually show us how we have given in to what Fox called the Tempter. Thankfully, we have one another to help us in our journey; and so too, eventually, the Light will come in and help us recenter, reground.
Blessings,
Liz
May 5, 2008
Pride
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3 comments:
I am puzzled by your comment that "there is a quiet pride that lends itself to being low."
I don't believe I've ever experienced, or seen, such a pride. All the pride I'm familiar with, even the type that is pride in serving, is a form of lifting oneself up above some norm, or above others.
None of the classical "great religions" (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism) seem to differentiate between one kind of pride and others, and all of them condemn pride.
I wonder if you could explain yourself further.
Hi, Marshall.
I've been sitting with your invitation to explain further about my use of the phrase "quiet pride."
My short response is, This is simply the phrase that came to me as I was writing. I didn't question it.
My longer response is, I find I have a sense within me when I know I have been faithful, or well-used, and I have at times felt an inward sense that I would call "pride." ...Maybe I have confused joy [in being well-used] and pride in this case.
I'm not sure I can explain it any further than that, but thanks for giving me the opportunity.
Blessings,.
Liz
"Well done, thou good and faithful servant"...? (Matthew 25:14-30) Yes, that clears it up for me. Thank you!
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