I am a prideful person. Now, before those who know me start with the comments of “tell us something we don’t know”, let me explain. I am proud of my teaching. I am proud of the many years I have spent as a therapist. I am proud of my family and proud to be part of their love and caring. I am most certainly proud of my garden and yard. And, I am very proud when I fix something around the house. I have a wife who might say I am insufferable when I actually fix something.
My wife would be right, I am very proud when I make things work right again. Faucets, toilets, floors are no match for my skills. Well, okay I am exaggerating, but only a little bit. What I am most proud of in my life are not achievements in academia or sports or even in the yard. The things that I am most proud of have in common my best effort. Teaching, therapy, and parenting.
When one of my students suddenly “gets it” that is joyous. When a client has ever gotten better and moved on in their life, that is joyous. And, on this occasion, when a child achieves something very special, again joyous. I have this one daughter who was a sweet but rather serious kid. She was (still is in some ways) a perfectionist. She went to college, studied her dad’s profession of social work, then went to seminary. She is the minister I thought I was called to be.
And now, that kid is the new pastor of a very old Baptist church. She has worked hard to become all that God would have her to be. She has a giant heart, a deep love of ministry, and a natural ability to minister. I am biased, but I do not think that new church knows the gem they are getting. My baby girl, yes always my baby girl, has gone from a kid to a wonderful pastor. That is a source of great pride for me. No, not because I raised her (which of course I did not do alone), but because I see what she will accomplish, the lives she will impact.
So, this proud dad has a question for you. What are you proud of in your life? The accomplishments? The things you have worked so hard for? The house you live in? The car you drive? You know all of those things won’t last right? Learn to be proud of what others have accomplished that you might have had a small part in. If you are a boss, how about being proud of what each of your staff is doing, and letting them know that. If you are a parent, let your kids know that you are proud of them just because they are themselves.
Pride can interfere with your life, make you arrogant and ruin you. Or, pride can lead you to a deep appreciation of the life you have been given and the life you have shared with the world. If that is your approach, you will be taking pride in exactly what God takes pride in you and all of creation. God “saw that it was good”.
TMM