“The power of humility is the clarity it brings us. It allows us to see ourselves and others the way we ought to. . . . But there’s something that stands in the way between us and this clarity. Pride. Pride hijacks our ability to be self-aware. It distorts our view and interpretation of things.”- Joel Muddamalle
“Proud people do not truly know themselves, nor do they perceive their own calling, condition, and destiny clearly.”- Thomas a Kempis
In Chapter 6 (“My Heart Tells Me So: Human Pride”) of The Hidden Peace, Joel Muddamalle asks when you’ve been on the receiving end of a lack of self-awareness. Above all, Joel asserts, we can trace this hurt back to pride. Because pride prevents self-awareness in people and derails you from being aware of others. And that leads everyone into trouble.
Furthermore, Joel observes, pride clouds our vision. Hence, as we walk up the mountain of life, we need to consider both who we are and whose we are. Also, the author gently suggests that an overt pride exists as well as a hidden pride. However, Joel argues, hidden pride carries the greater danger. Because hidden pride:
- is hard to recognize in yourself; others may not either.
- can even present itself as a fruit of the Spirit.
- at the root, reveals a sickness.
Christian author Ann Voskamp once interviewed a feal-life shepherd at a women’s conference. The shepherd talked about two kinds of danger his sheep faced. Visible dangers include coyotes and other things in the environment. But parasites that invade the stomach lining of the sheep represent an invisible threat. Over time they cause serious damage if left untested and untreated.
Therefore, Joel exclaims:
“That’s us. We are those sheep [Ezekiel 34:30-31; Mark 6:34], and those dangers are pride — both visible and invisible. And hidden pride in our lives is something we need to let the Shepherd identify, test, and treat.”
Today’s question: How do you find that the power of humility brings you clarity? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Hidden pride – cunning, difficult”