驕傲的人聚焦於他人的失敗。Several years ago I shared in my Sunday school class that God's been teaching me the lesson of humility. It was when I felt that I was stagnant, going nowhere with my dissertation.
破碎的人重視他們屬靈的需要。
驕傲的人有批判及找人過錯的靈...
破碎的人是一個滿有憐憫心的人；他們能饒恕別人，因為他們知道他們是被饒恕。
驕傲的人是自以為義；他看不起其他人。
破碎的人看重其他人多過看重自己。
驕傲的人有自立，自滿自足的靈。
破碎的人有依靠的靈，他們知道需要其他的人。
驕傲的人要證明他們是對的。
破碎的人知道自己是對的，也願意放棄自己的權利。
驕傲的人爭取權利；他們有強求的靈。
破碎的人放棄他們的權利；他們有一個溫柔的靈。
驕傲的人願望自我提升。
破碎的人願望提拔他人。
驕傲的人是要人認識自己及被人稱讚。
破碎的人覺得自己不配；他們懼怕神能否用他們。
驕傲的人濳意識感到「教會有我及我的恩賜來服侍他們是他們的榮幸」。
破碎的人...知道自己沒有甚麼可獻給神，除了透過他們破碎的生命湧流出耶穌的生命。
Several weeks ago, I picked up the above material during a church meeting. I was startled to realize how the characteristics of the arrogant describe my temperament. (The list is much longer. The above was only an excerpt.)
Tonight at my church's Good Friday Service, I felt that God was again telling me, using the same material, that He's still working on that aspect of me.
「所以經上說：神阻擋驕傲的人，賜恩給謙卑的人.」雅各書 4:6
「耶和華啊，謙卑人的心願，你早已知道（原文是聽見）。你必預備他們的心，也必側耳聽他們的祈求.」詩篇 10:17
「耶和華說：這一切都是我手所造的，所以就都有了。但我所看顧的，就是虛心（原文是貧窮）痛悔、因我話而戰兢的人. 」以賽亞書 66:2
6 comments:
"Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." ~ Romans 12:3
What makes you think you are an arrogant person? Or are you born that way? And finally, how does being arrogant compares to seeing yourself with confidence in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you?
Hm...are you asking in general how one discerns for the edification of others, or are you getting personal for my edification? :)
Doesn't Matthew 18:4, "Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven," suggest that a person isn't born like that?
What do you think?
Personal.
To be humble is not thinking of yourself more highly than you ought. So what about the other half of Roman 12:3? When God made you a PhD, you shouldn't see yourself as anything less, should you? That's what I call "think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you." And to me that's not being not humble.
Read also how David introduced himself to Saul.
>how does being arrogant compares to seeing yourself with confidence in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you?
Roman 12:3. Yes. It provides the principle of how one should think of oneself. The beginning Chinese quote in the blog entry provides for me the fine print of Romans 12:3, what sober judgment is and is not.
Does it seem one-sided? Perhaps it's because only a small portion of the original is included.
In my case, PhD is still a hard-earned PhD. But I know it's God who gave me the opportunity and $ to pursue it. I consider myself with some "talent" too @_@; yet I'm now seeing that more as a gift (something that I didn't earn), than something that boosts my ego.
> Personal.
Thanks for caring enough to respond.
By any chance you think that I'm not utilizing what's given to me more boldly?
Having someone to engage in such discussion is a blessing.
> you think that I'm not utilizing what's given to me
> more boldly?This I cannot comment since I don't know what context you're applying your gift, not to mention if you're doing it boldly enough. My comments are only based on what I read here and my very limited understanding of BigHead.
I think the Scriptures you have quoted ask us to be humble before God. Of course we have nothing to boost before Him. No matter it's talent or gift, recognizing and acknowledging its source is indeed important (and that is critical in eliminating our pride), but I guess what's bothering you is not on this, but the subtle difference between boosting and how we live with and utilize that gift or talent when interacting with other people. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
While in the West what prevails is "with great power comes great responsibility" (Spider-man), we the Chinese are taught (normalized) to deliberately hide our strength (in order to keep that virtue of being humble) and not taking it to its fullest. Practising the latter inevitably leads to comparison especially when you're really too good at something, and can easily be understood as being too proud of oneself, too ambitious, too aggressive, or too arrogant.
約伯記裡面以利戶對神、對約伯或是那三個比他都年長的朋友算是驕傲嗎？（伯卅二）
大衛自薦出戰哥利亞，對掃羅和自己的哥哥們算是驕傲嗎？（撒上十七）
保羅作為一個較遲信主的門徒，跟信徒領袖們爭論割禮的問題又算是驕傲嗎？（徒十五）
還是他們都只不過是照著神分給自己信心大小，把自己看得適中，在適當的時候「盡用」他們從神所領受的？
Were they not humble before God (according to the Scriptures you quoted) when they acted like this and hurted their counterparts? What world would it be if these people tried to be humble and stay silent in those moments? Would they be like the servant who hid his master's money ("talents" in KJV) in the ground (Matthew 25:14-28, NIV names this section "The Parable of the Talents")?
Do we hide our gift or talent in order to avoid people getting hurt because of it? While I'm still learning and theorizing, I try not to forget I always have the freedom to choose using or not using my gift and talent. Most of the time I won't stop using it, but pray to use it humbly and ask for a lot of wisdom to avoid hurting people. (This mentality gives me more courage to try things out.)
Today when I'm in YCC for 26 years already and often considered one of those who have 江湖地位, I can sense that my sayings (no matter I have the intention or not in utilizing my 江湖地位 or knowledge -- too tired of defensing or explaining already) would keep some people's mouths shut although they don't really agree to my views (that does make me a more silent and less free person than before). But somehow I think God already takes into calculation that we would inevitably misuse it from time to time. If it's God who granted us the gift or talent, we have our motivation cleared, He will take care of the collateral damage. I don't mean we don't need to mend the wounds we did to other people. But it's OK that the Body of Christ has wounds and scars (He has those indeed!), only it will be cured with a collaborative effort. The Body of Christ is not meant to be perfect or woundless, its perfectness comes from us who make an effort in unity to cure the wounds as a form of submission to God, and that's how He is glorified, isn't it?
> Having someone to engage in such discussion
> is a blessing.Indeed! Perhaps it's because I can't find many, or any, to discuss and share this kind of things...
P.S. Oops... I always have problem in cutting things short...
> This I cannot comment since I don't know what context you're applying your gift, not to mention if you're doing it boldly enough. My comments are only based on what I read here and my very limited understanding of BigHead.
Fair enough. Blogging makes me forget the physical distance.
> but I guess what's bothering you is not on this, but the subtle difference between boosting and how we live with and utilize that gift or talent when interacting with other people. (Correct me if I'm wrong.)
Yes and No. My thinking has mutated from about 18 months year ago.
When I work/serve, sometimes I get aggressive as I focus on the task to be finished and forget about feeling of the people I'm dealing with. I know though that I'm humble in heart; I just need to work on my diplomacy skill more.
The bigger problem is that sometimes I choose not to serve, which is not necessarily related to humility. Besides time and priority, the reason of my not serving is because I got impatient working with people who are less gifted and I got frustrated with the quality they produce. And yet, they seem perfectly happy with the way things are....
That's what the recent readings have gotten me thinking. Getting personal la. But not too many people read my blog so that's OK.
> Perhaps it's because I can't find many, or any, to discuss and share this kind of things...
Really! I thought I was the one living in isolation in Los Angeles D 山卡啦地方. Is my 門訓 group leader still 閉關收練武功？ Hope you find someone be your sounding board la. Maybe from the younger group la.
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